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ENDS  OF  LE  DETROIT. 


MARIK  GAKOlJiNK  WATSON  mVI LIN. 


11,1,1'STKATEI)    BV 


MISS  ISABELLA  STEWART, 


SECOND  EDITION. 


DETROIT: 

T  H  O  R  N  DI  K  E     N  O  U  R  S  E  . 

1884. 


Copyright,  1883, 
By  THORNDIKE  NOURSE. 


DEDICATION. 


To  THE  Loved  Ones  at  "Tonnancour,"  on  the  Banks  of 

Lake  Sainte  Claire,  where  Under  the  Grateful 

Shade    of    a   Majestic    Willow   I    Have 

Listened   to   Many   a  Tale  of 

the  Mystic  Past, 

These  Legends  Are  Most  Affectionately  Dedicated. 

M.  C.  W.  HAMLIN. 
Detroit,  December,  1883. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  word  "  Legt-iid  "  explains  itself.  Historical  and  romantic 
Bouveuirs  hang  like  tattered  drapery  around  the  fair  City  of  the 
Straits.  Interest  and  curiosity  have  only  to  shake  its  venerable 
folds  to  scatter  fragmentary  history  and  legendary  lore. 

These  weird  tales,  quaint  customs  and  beautiful  traditions  have 
been  handed  down  from  generation  to  generation  as  sacred  trusts. 
Originally  brought  from  their  cradle  in  Normandy,  they  are  still 
tenderly  cherished  in  the  homes  of  the  old  families  of  Norman 
descent  settled  along  "  le  Detroit." 

It  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  hear  many  of  them  from  loving, 
though  aged  lijis  of  ancestors  whose  memories  extend  back  into 
the  last  century. 

It  seems  a  belitling  tribute  to  these  noble  and  hardy  pioneers 
that  a  descendant  of  theirs  should  gather  and  preserve  in  an 
imperishable  form  these  mementoes  they  valued  .so  highly. 

For  my  interest  in  the  subject,  and  for  the  historical  facts,  in 
the  writing  of  which  I  have  tried  to  be  strictly  accurate,  I  am 
indebted  to  Charlevoi.x,  J.a  Ilcmtan,  Lambert,  IVIargry's  Collec 
tions,  Parkman,  Hameau.  Lemoyne.  Campbell,  Sheldon,  Lanman, 
and  others.  The  Tontiac  iNIanuscripl,  Morris'  Diary,  the  Cass, 
Trowbridge  and  Roberts'  Meiuoirs  have  also  furnished  material. 

For  the  data  made  use  of  in  the  articles  on  the  "French  Fami- 
lies" I  am  under  much  obligation  to  the  records  of  Old  Ste.  Anne's 
Church,  to  the  researches  of  my  friend  L'  Abbe  Tanguay,  and  to 
the  brilliant  essayist,  poet  and  historian,  Benjamin  Suite,  of 
Ottawa. 


I . !-:( ;  i<:  N I  )s  o  f  le  Detroit. 

CHUONOLOOICAI,   SEQUENCE. 

DATK  PAGE 

1.— The  Cros.s  aiul  llic  Maiiilou 1G(59  1 

2.— Tlic  Baptism  of  l>akc  Ste.  Claire 1679  8 

3.— Th(i  Nun  of  Ste.  Claire 169(1  17 

4.— The  "  Nain  Roui^e  " 1701  32 

5._Tlio  May  Pole 1704  m 

6.— Tlic  i'liaiiloin  PricM 1705  40 

7.— Francois  and  IJarhc 1710  49 

8.— The  Devils  (JrisI 171-,'  r)7 

9.— Jean  Chiquot 1721  64 

10.— The  Widow's  Curse 1735  71 

11.— Le  Lutin 174G  77 

12.— The  Warrior's  Love 1747  85 

13.— The  Miami  Seer's  Prophecy 1758  91 

14.— The  Hones  of  the  Propliet 1761  97 

15.— The  Bloody  Hun 1763  103 

16.— Le  Loup  (iarou 1770  113 

17.— The  Old  Red  Mill 1775  122 

18.— La  Chasse  Galerie 1780  126 

19.  — Le  Feu  Follef 1785  134 

20.— The  Feast  of  St.  Jean 1790  143 

21. — llamtramck's  Love 1793  151 

22.— The  Haunted  Spinning  Wheel 1795  161 

23.— Th<'  (Cursed  Villaire 1800  169 

24.— San  SoueT  and  Okemos 1805  180 

25.— The  Sibyl's  Pioiiliecy 1806  189 

26.— Captain  Jean 1807  197 

27.— Kennette's  Vision 1808  205 

28.— The  Fisherman  of  Grosse  Pointe 1810  213 

29.— The  Ghost  of  >Ionirau.ii;on 1812  220 

30.— The  Eve  of   Kjiipliany 1813  228 

;U.— Kishk.iuUoii 1815  237 


INDEX  TO  EARLY  FRENCH  FAMILIES. 


PAGE. 

1.  Intuodoction  to  the  Families 26:5 

2.  Ste.  Anne's  Chukcii 264 

'A.  Okkiceks  of  the  Fout ;569 

4.  Adhemau  de  St.  Maktin : o69 

5.  AsKiN — .vrt  J^iivtlie 272 

6.  Bauy 271 

7.  Baknaud — xi'c  Ih'Kiwi/ern 294 

8.  Bauthe 272 

9.  Beaukait 275 

10.  Biusir — >nr  Hmthc 272 

11.  {'AMl'EAU 275 

12.  CiiAitEUT 281 

13.  (  'II  Al'OTON 281 

14.  C^iiESNE 283 

15.  CicoTTE 284 

16.  CUII.LEKIEK   DE  BeAOBIEN 289 

17.  Cole — see  Desnoyerx 294 

18.  De  ^Iersac 290 

19.  Dk  Quindre 290 

20.  Desc  omptes  Labadie 291 

21 .  Desnoyeks 294 

22.  DouAiuE  DE  Bondy 296 

23.  Dubois 297 

24.  Gamelin 297 

25.  GoDE  DE  ^Iarantay 298 

2<).   GoDKHOY 299 

27.  GouiN ." 304 

28.  Gkants — /tec  Bnrthe 272 

29.  IIai.i, — see  Goilfroy. 299 

30.  Hammn — .ffe  Godfroji  299 

31.  LoTiiMAN  DE  Barrois 305 

32.  MoKAND 305 

g3.  Navarre 307 

34.  T'ai.ms — see  Campeau 275 

35.  I'KM.ETIER 311 

46.  PiciUETTE — see   Cnmpeau 275 

47.  Rkavme 313 

38.  Rioi'Ei,i,E 314 

39.  RiVARD '  .  .  314 

30.  St.  ArniN 315 

41.  Van  Dyke — see  Desiioyers 094 

42.  Vii.LiER  DiT  St.  Louis 316 

43.  VissiER  DIT  Laferte yi7 

34.   Watson — see  Qodfroy 299 


PONTIAC  TREE. 


THE   CROSS   AND   THE   MANITOU. 


A^Legend  of  Belle  Isle. 


()\V  frequently,  as  we  sail  on  the 
Mp  ^;  a  beautiful  Detroit  Elver,  or  tread 
% — -^'*i/|  the  busy  streets  of  the  prosjDer- 
ous  city,  does  the  mind  go  back 
to  the  remote  past,  wondering 
what  kind  of  men  were  those 
brave  explorers  who  first  yisited  the  wilds  of 
these  regions  and  gazed  upon  them  in  all  their 
virgin  loveliness.  History  has  f)reserved  to  us 
the  names  of  two  of  these. 

Francois  DoUier  de  Casson  had  served  as  a  cav- 
alry officer  of  renown  under  Turenne,  and  laid 
aside,  in  his  ancestral  halls  in  Brittany,  his 
sword,  sheathed  in  laurels,  to  take  up  the  cross 
which  was  lo  lead  him  through  the  trackless  for- 
ests of  the  new  world- 
1 


2  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Abbe  Brehant  de  Galinee  was  a  student  whose 
knowledge  of  surveying  and  geography  made 
him  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  explorers  of  a 
new  country,  and  to  his  graphic  pen  we  are 
indebted  for  a  detailed  account  of  the  visit  of  the 
missionary  explorers  to  Detroit. 

They  arrived  in  Montreal  from  France  at  the 
time  when  La  Salle's  great  project  for  the  explo- 
ration of  the  far  West  was  the  theme  of  every 
tongue.  So  thoroughly  were  all  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  adventure,  the  desire  of  gain  and  the 
glory  of  extending  the  arms  and  name  of  France, 
that  even  enlisted  soldiers  were  allowed  to  apply 
for  a  discharge  if  they  wished  to  accompany  him. 

La  Salle  had  just  received  the  necessary  per- 
mission and  orders  from  De  Courcelles,  then  Gov- 
ernor of  Canada,  to  fit  up  his  expedition  for  the 
exploration  of  that  great  river  called  by  the  Iro- 
quois, Ohio,  by  the  French,  Belle  Riviere,  really 
an  arm  of  the  Mississippi,  of  which  such  marvel- 
ous things  were  told  by  the  Indians,  who  came 
each  season  to  trade  at  Quebec  and  Montreal. 

Numerous  tribes  who  had  never  been  visited  by 
the  "black  gown  "  were  said  to  people  its  shores. 
So  DoUier  and  Galinee  determined  to  carry  to 
these  nations  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

On  the  6th  of  July,  1669,  the  little  fleet  of  seven 
birch  bark  canoes,  each  manned  by  three  men,  and 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  3 

laden  with  tlie  necessary  merchandise  to  excliange 
with  tlie  Indians  ahjng  their  route  for  provisions, 
beaver  skins  and  other  furs,  bade  adieu' to  Mon- 
treal amid  the  joyous  notes  of  the  Te  Deum  and 
the  sound  of  tlu'  arquebus.  They  reached  Lake 
Frontenac  (Ontario)  August  2,  and  the  24th  of 
September  an  Indian  village  called  Timaouataoua, 
where  they  remained  some  time  waiting  for  guides. 
There  they  overtook  Louis  Joliet,  wdio  was  on  his 
way  to  Lake  Superior  in  search  of  a  copper  mine, 
wonderful  specimens  from  which  had  been  sent  to 
Montreal  by  the  Jesuit  Allouez.  The  latter  was 
then  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  whither  he  had  gone 
through  the  Ottawa  River,  Lake  Simcoe,  and  with 
numerous  portages  into  Georgian  Bay.  It  was 
also  Joliet' s  object  to  discover  a  shorter  route,  and 
one  which  could  obviate  the  necessity  of  so  many 
tedious  portages.  Accident  had  revealed  this  route 
to  La  Salle.  Being  out  hunting  one  day  he  found 
an  Iroquois  exhausted  by  sickness  and  travel 
worn.  He  tenderly  cared  for  him,  and  the  Indian 
repaid  his  kindness  by  sketching  on  a  clean  sheet 
of  bark,  with  a  piece  of  charcoal,  the  position  of 
the  lakes  and  the  route  to  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi. This  crude  chart  proved  a  precious  legacy 
to  the  energetic  and  intrepid  La  Salle.  Unfortu- 
nately he  was  taken  ill,  and  his  malady  was  of  so 
severe  a  nature  that  he  was  forced  for  the  time 


4  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

to  give  up  his  cherished  project.  But  Dollier  and 
De  Galinee,  urged  by  Joliet,  determined  to  aban- 
don the  expedition  to  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi, 
and  go  in  search  of  the  tribes  along  the  lakes. 
They  bade  adieu  to  Joliet  and  La  Salle  and  started 
on  their  perilous  journey,  acompanied  by  seven 
men.  They  wintered  at  Long  Point  on  the  north- 
ern shore  of  Lake  Erie.  From  the  mildness  of 
the  climate  when  compared  with  that  of  Lower 
Canada,  the  quantity  of  its  game,  the  purity  of 
its  waters,  the,  abundance  of  its  fruit,  especially 
the  grape  from  which  they  made  sufficient  wine 
to  use  for  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  they 
called  it  "The  Terrestrial  Paradise  of  Canada." 
It  was  in  the  early  spring  of  1670  that  their 
canoes  landed  at  Detroit.  It  was  an  enchanting 
scene,  which  unfolded  like  a  coy  maiden,  its  rare 
loveliness  to  the  admiring  eye  of  the  European. 
He  saw  the  fresh  virgin  forests  clad  in  the  vest- 
ments of  spring,  the  broad  sweeping  river,  with 
its  graceful  curves  in  whose  limpid  waters  thou- 
sands of  fish  could  be  seen,  along  the  banks  teem- 
ing herds  of  bison,  and  droves  of  deer  gazing  with 
Avondering  eyes  on  the  stranger.  The  air  was  per- 
fumed by  woodland  flowers  which  scattered  their 
sweet  incense  to  the  music  of  the  birds,  whose 
gorgeous  plumage  almost  rivalled  the  flowers  in 
hue.     Above  all  was  present*  that  grand  solemn 


Legends  of  Le  Detroii.  5 

silence  only  found  in  the  heart  of  the  forest,  resting 
like  a  hushed  benediction.  After  wandering  about 
some  time  in  this  fair  region,  and  with  hearts  over- 
flowing with  emotions  of  love  and  gratitude  to- 
wards Him  who  had  le.d  their  footsteps  here,  they 
came  upon  an  open  clearing  in  the  center  of  which 
arose  a  grassy  mound  crowned  by  a  rude  stone 
idol.  It  was  a  crude  production  of  nature,  created 
by  her  in  a  fit  of  abstraction  and  which  the  In- 
dians had  attemi^ted  to  convert  into  the  semblance 
of  a  deity  by  touches  of  vermillion.  Offerings  of 
tobacco,  skins  of  animals,  and  articles  of  food 
were  scattered  in  reckless  profusion  at  its  feet. 
This,  then,  was  the  great  Manitou,  of  whom  their 
guides  had  spoken,  who  held  in  his  hand  the 
winds,  and  whose  mighty  voice  was  heard  in  the 
storm  that  swept  over  the  lakes.  He  was  held 
in  great  veneration,  and  as  the  Indian  launched 
his  frail  bark  on  the  treacherous  waters  of  the 
lakes  he  would  come  with  his  offering  of  i)roi:)itia- 
tion  to  this  wayside  place  of  pilgrimage.  The 
missionaries,  indignant  at  this  exhibition  of  idol- 
atry,  broke  the  statue  in  a  thousand  pieces,  and  in 
its  place  erected  a  cross,  at  whose  foot  they  affixed 
the  coat  of  arms  of  France  with  this 

INSCKIPTION: 

In  the  year  of  grace  1670,  Clement  IX  being  seated  in  the  chair 
of  St.  Peter,  Louis  XIV  reigning  in  France,  Monsieur  de  Cour- 


6  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

celles  being  Governor  of  New  France  and  Monsieur  Talon  being 
the  Intendant  of  the  King,  two  missionaries  of  the  Seminary  of 
Montreal,  accompanied  by  seven  Frenchmen,  arrived  at  this  place 
and  are  the  first  of  all  the  European  people  who  wintered  on  the 
land  bordering  on  Lake  Erie,  which  they  took  possession  of  in  the 
name  of  their  King,  as  a  country  unoccupied,  and  have  affixed 
the  arms  of  France  at  the  foot  of  this  cross. 

(Signed)  FRANCOIS  DOLLIER, 

Priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Nantes,  Brittany. 
De  Galinee, 

Deacon  of  the  Diocese  of  Rennes,  Brittany. 

Taking  the  largest  fragment  of  tlie  broken  idol, 
the  missionaries  lashed  two  canoes  together  and 
towed  it  to  the  deepest  part  of  the  river  so  that 
it  should  be  heard  of  no  more.  But  the  tradition 
says  that  after  the  fathers  were  far  away,  a  band 
of  Indians  coming  to  offer  their  homage  to  the 
deity  found  only  its  mutilated  remains.  Each 
took  a  fragment  which  he  placed  in  his  canoe  as  a 
fetish,  and  it  guided  them  to  where  the  Spirit  of 
the  Manitou  had  taken  refuge  under  the  deep, 
sombre  shadow  of  Belle  Isle.  He  bade  them 
bring  every  fragment  of  his  broken  image  and  to 
strew  them  on  the  banks  of  his  abode.  They 
obeyed  his  order,  and  behold !  each  stone  was 
converted  into  a  rattlesnake,  which  should  be  as  a 
sentinel  to  guard  the  sacredness  of  his  domain 
from  the  profaning  foot  of  the  white  man.  To 
the  answering  call  of  those  who  came  to  liis  leafy 
retreat  he  would  mockingly  re-echo  tlieir  words. 
Many  a  laughter  loving  party  as  they  lazily  float 


Legends  of  Le  Dttroit.  7 

on  the  moonlit  waters  of  the  Detroit,  amuse  them- 
selves in  awakening  the  angry  spirit  of  the  Indian 
god  as  they  test  tlie  echoes  of  Belle  Isle. 

Belle  Isle  has  changed  name  four  times. 
1.  It  was  called  Isle  Sto.  Claire  (Charlevoix). 
3.  Rattlesnake  Island  from  the  number  of  these  serpents  which 
infested  it. 

3.  Ilog  Island  (Isle  Au.x  Cochons),   by  the  French  from  the 
number  of  these  animals  put  there  to  destroy  the  snakes. 

4.  Belle  Isle,  in  1845,  after  Miss  Belle  Cass,  daughter  of  General 
Cass  and  aft(!rward  the  wife  of  Baron  Von  Limburg. 


II 

THE  BAPTISM  OF  LAKE  SAINTE  CLAIRE. 


A  Legend  of  the  Grriffin's  Voyage. 

UEING  the  long  winter 
months  of  1678-9  there 
might  have  been  witness- 
ed on  the  banks  of  the 
Niagara  River,  some  five 

_  miles  above  the  Falls  and 

"  ~-^'  ^^jj=^-^^j^^  near  the  month  of  what 
is  now  known  as  Caynga  Creek,  an  undertaking- 
new  and  unheard  of  in  that  locality,  and  well 
calculated  to  excite  the  wonder  and  amazement 
of  the  savage  denizens  of  the  surrounding  forests. 
It  was  the  building  of  a  ship  by  the  daring 
band  of  French  explorers  under  the  Sieur  de  La 
Salle — the  first  sailing  vessel  that  ever  navigated 
Lake  Erie  and  the  upper  lakes,  and  the  pioneer 
of  the  vast  commerce  that  now  plows  these  waters. 
Through  the  dreary  winter  the  little  band  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  9 

workmen  toiled  assiduously,  though  their  food  at 
times  was  only  inarched  corn,  and  they  had  to 
depend  to  a  great  extent  on  the  uncertain  sup- 
plies of  fish  and  game  furnished  by  the  Indians, 
while  spikes,  chains,  anchors  and  even  cannon  had 
to  l)e  carried  u])  the  rocky  steeps  from  the  level  of 
Lake  Ontario.  Tlie  undaunted  energy  and  iron 
courage  of  their  commjinder.  La  Salle,  aided  by 
the  pious  exhortations  of  the  Recollet  Chaplain, 
Louis  Hennepin,  bidding  them  to  labor  for  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  honor  of  France,  made  them 
indifferent  to  the  taunts  and  jeers  of  the  jealous 
Indians.  Their  imaginations  were  inflamed  and 
their  enthusiasm  aroused  by  glorious  pictures  of 
the  new  discoveries  to  be  made  in  the  far  West ; 
of  the  great  honors  and  fortunes  all  were  to 
acquire  ;  of  the  new  trafiic  that  was  to  be  opened 
in  the  hides  of  the  wild  cattle  that  roamed  in 
countless  numbers  over  the  plains ;  of  the  inex- 
haustible supply  of  ores  they  could  draw  from 
the  rich  mines  of  Mexico,  and  of  the  outlet  for 
all  this  wealth  which  was  to  be  found  at  the 
moutli  of  the  great  Mississix:)pi  that  La  Salle  was 
to  opfen  to  the  ships  of  France. 

The  shadows  of  the  summer  of  1G79  had  deep- 
ened before  the  little  brigantine  of  forty-five  tons 
ap2)roached  completion.  The  commander  had 
decided  to  name  her  the  "Griffin,"  in  allusion  lo 


10  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

the  arms  of  the  Comte  de  Frontenac,  whose  sup- 
porters were  "  Griffins."  An  expert  wood  carver 
from  Rouen  had  carved  for  the  ship' s  bows  a  won- 
derful image  of  the  fabled  monster,  half  lion  and 
half  eagle,  with  ears  erect,  emblematic  of  strength, 
swiftness  and  watchfulness.  But  among  the  more 
pious  of  the  band  the  name  was  deemed  an  evil 
one,  and  their  superstitious  natures  conjured  up 
disasters  to  come,  "  For,"  they  said,  "a  vessel  con- 
structed for  such  an  enterprise  ought  to  be  named 
after  the  Blessed  Lady,  or  at  least  after  one  of 
the  saints."  La  Salle  laughed  at  such  notions,  and 
tried  to  impress  on  the  minds  of  the  Frenchmen 
and  Indians  that  the  Griffin  was  a  powerful  Man- 
itou,  who  would  protect  them  from  all  harm,  and 
guide  them  safely  to  their  destination. 

At  last  all  was  ready  for  the  launch — the  crew 
were  assembled  and  the  notes  of  the  ' '  Te  Deuni ' ' 
floated  on  the  air.  A  bottle  of  brandy  was  broken 
over  the  bows  of  the  vessel,  and  liberal  pota- 
tions distributed  among  the  Indians.  A  salute 
was  fired  from  the  seven  guns  ranged  along  the 
decks,  and  amidst  the  enthusiastic  shouts  of 
"vive  le  Roi,"  the  vessel  glided  from  her  ways, 
and  floated  on  the  waters  of  the  Niagara  River. 
The  indignation  of  the  Indians  who  were  watch- 
ing, and  who  had  never  dreamed  it  possible  to 
launch  her,  knew  no  bounds.      At  last  she  was 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  11 

beyond  their  power  to  destroy  by  fire,  which  they 
had  several  times  attempted.  La  Salle,  with  a 
number  of  his  men,  had  returned  to  the  shore  and 
noticing  the  chagrin  of  the  savages,  pointed  to 
the  tiag  with  a  Griffin  emblazoned  thereon, 
proudly  wa\ing  from  the  masthead,  and  taunt- 
ing! v  exclaimed : 

' '  Now  you  can  see  the  eagle  flying  above  the 
crows,"  alluding  to  the  black-gowned  Jesuits 
whom  he  deemed  his  enemies  and  what  was  worse, 
entirely  too  friendly  with  the  Iroquois. 

On  this  the  noted  Prophet  Metiomek  could  no 
longer  contain  himself,  and  exclaimed:  "Great 
Chief,  you  are  too  x>roud.  You  have  shown  con- 
tempt for  the  Great  Spirit  who  rules  all  things, 
and  you  have  set  up  an  evil  spirit  on  His  throne. 
You  seek  the  tribes  of  the  west  to  trade  with 
them  and  to  destroy  them  with  your  cursed  fire- 
water. You  sneer  at  the  '  black  gowns '  Onontio 
sent  us,  who  have  taught  us  to  worship  the  Great 
Spirit  and  till  the  ground.  But  Metiomek,  the 
prophet  of  his  race,  bids  you  beware  ;  darkness, 
like  a  cloud,  is  ready  to  enveloj)  you — the  Chris- 
tian Indian's  curse  rests  on  you  and  on  your  great 
canoe.  She  will  sink  beneath  the  deep  waters 
and  your  blood  shall  stain  the  hands  of  those  in 
whom  you  trusted  ! ' ' 

As  Metiomek  gave  utterance  to  this  prophecy 


12  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

in  deep  and  impressive  tones,  amidst  the  most 
solemn  silence,  Fathers  Hennepin  and  Zenoble 
looked  serious,  and  the  sailors  ominously  whis- 
pered to  each  other  their  apprehensions,  but  La 
Salle,  with  his  usual  exuberance  of  spirits,  care- 
lessly laughed  away  the  rebellious  mutterings 
which  fluttered  like  a  light  cloud  over  the  assem- 
bly. 

On  August  7,  1679,  the  great  square  sails  of  the 
brigantine  were  set,  and  La  Salle,  mounting  the 
lofty  stern,  gave  orders  to  take  a  course  of  west 
by  south,  and  sailed  away  on  the  unknown  waters. 

Despite  the  prophecy,  the  voyage  was  most 
prosperous,  and  favorable  winds  carried  them 
twenty  leagues  the  first  night.  On  the  8th  they 
made  forty-five  leagues  and  passed  a  point  which 
they  named  St.  Francis  (now  Long  Point).  On 
the  9th  they  passed  Point  au  Pelee ;  and  on  the 
10th,  the  feast  of  St.  Lawrence,  they  saw  the  Trois 
Sceurs  (Three  Sisters'  Islands),  standing  like  the 
three  Parcse,  guarding  the  terrestrial  paradise  of 
le  Detroit. 

As  they  sailed  by  Grosse  Isle  and  the  adjacent 
island,  their  spirits  were  wonderfully  exhilarated. 

"We  found,"  says  Father  Hennepin  in  his. 
journal,  "  the  country  on  both  sides  of  this  beau- 
tiful strait,  adorned  with  fine  open  plains.  Any 
number  of  stags,  deer,  bear  (by  no  means  fierce, 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  13 


and  very  good  to  eat),  poules  d'indes*  in  abun- 
dance, and  all  kinds  of  game.  The  vessel's  guys 
were  loaded  and  decked  with  the  wild  animals 
our  French  and  Indian  hunters  shot  and  dressed. 
The  islands  on  both  shores  of  the  straits  are  cov- 
ered with  primeval  forests,  fruit  trees,  like  wal- 
nuts, chestnuts,  plum  and  apple  trees,  wild  vines 
loaded  with  grapes,  of  which  latter  some  were  gath- 
ered, and  a  quantity  of  wine  was  made.  The  vast 
herds  of  deer  surprised  us  all,  and  it  appears  to  be 
the  place  of  all  others  where  the  deer  love  to  con- 
gregate." And  so  the  pioneer  ship  sailed  up  "le 
Detroit,"  or  the  strait  now  called  the  Detroit  Riv- 
er t  and  passed  the  site  of  the  present  great  city. 
They  noticed  on  shore  the  spot  where  ten  years  be- 
fore Dollier  and  Gallinee  (who  had  visited  these 
regions  in  a  birch  bark  canoe)  had  broken  in  • 
pieces  the  painted  stone  idol,  worshiped  as  a 
Manitou  by  the  Indians.  They  saw  on  the  border 
of  the  forests  the  Indian  village  of  "Teusclia 
Grondie,"  and,  to  impress  the  fleeing  savages, 
gave  them  a  grand  salute  from  the  guns — but  the 
boat  glided  too  rapidly  for  them  to  hear  the  im- 
precations hui-led  after  them  by  the  Indians,  and 
the  winds  kindly  wafted   them  away  from  the 

*  Wild  Turkey. 

f  Wa-we-a-tu-noug.     Indian  name  for  Detroit  River. 


14  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

European  ears,  "May  the  Manitoii  whom  we 
worship,"  they  shouted,  "and  Wis  Kin,  who 
guards  the  gates  of  the  lakes,  devour  the  evil 
pale  face  who  comes  among  us  with  his  white 
winged  bird  vomiting  forth  lire,  smoke  and  thun- 
der ;  and  may  the  Manitou  whom  the  black  gowns 
cast  in  the  lake  many  moons  ago  so  trouble  the 
waters,  that  their  canoe  shall  find  no  rest  thereon 
and  be  drawn  down  to  the  home  of  the  evil  spirit 
at  the  bottom  of  the  lake."  Unconscious  of  the 
malediction  evoked  by  the  savage  foes,  the  Griffin 
passed  Belle  Isle  into  a  circular-shaped  lake  at 
the  head  of  the  river. 

The  summer  sun  was  setting  and  flooding  the 
waters  with  its  golden  hues — the  soft  sound  of 
the  vesper  bell  died  away  in  sweet  cadences.  The 
little  band  of  hardy  ex]3lorers  fell  on  their  knees 
giving  thanks  to  Heaven  for  their  prosperous  voy- 
age. On  the  lofty  stern  of  the  vessel  was  Rob- 
ert Cavalier  de  la  Salle,  future  explorer  of  the 
Mississippi ;  by  his  side  Henri  de  Tonty  his 
captain  of  brigade ;  near  by,  his  partners  in  the 
enterprise,  the  Sieur  de  Boirondet  and  the  Sieur 
D' An  tray,  and  also  the  notary  Jacques  La  Meterie 
and  Jean  Michel  the  surgeon.  Sixteen  French 
voyageurs  and  a  small  number  of  Indians  com- 
prised the  crew.  As  they  rose  from  their  devo- 
tions Father  Louis  Hennepin  addressed  them  a 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  15 

short  discourse  and  concluded  by  saying :  "This 
is  tlic  feast  of  Ste.  Claire,  let  us  commemorate  it 
by  bestowing  her  name  on  tliis  beautiful  sheet  of 
water.  I  hereby  solemnly  baptize  it  Lac  Sainte 
Claire,  by  which  it  will  be  henceforth  known." 
Tlien  all  pledged  the  newly  christened  lake  in 
many  a  bumper  of  wine  made  from  the  Detroit 
River  grapes. 

The  Griffin's  journey  to  Lake  Michigan  where 
La.  Salle  left  her  in  order  to  pursue  his  discoveries, 
his  vain  effort  to  iind  the  moutli  of  the  great  river 
he  had  explored  while  on  his  second  expedition 
from.France,  and  the  closing  of  his  adventurous 
career  by  the  murderous  hands  of  his  men  are 
events  which  have  illustrated  many  a  glorious  page 
of  our  history.  The  attempt  of  the  vessel  to  return 
loaded  with  a  precious  cargo  of  furs  is  mentioned, 
but  uncertainty  throws  its  melancholy  shadow 
over  its  subsequent  fate  and  that  of  its  daring 
crew.  But  Indian  tradition  sees  the  angry  Mani- 
tous  of  the  Avater  surround  the  ill-fated  ship  and 
drift  her  into  unknown  realms,  and  on  bright 
moonlight  nights  they  hear  a  full  chorus  of  manly 
voices*  chanting  the  evening  hymn,  and  frequently 
the  image  of  a  phantom  ship  is  seen  in  the  clouds. 


*  These  voices  are  no  myths.  Science  has  examined  into  the 
cause  and  says  they  are  produced  by  the  beating  of  the  waves  on 
a  peculiarly  sonorous  shingle.  Along  the  northern  coast  of  certain 


16  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

islands  in  Lake  Superior  is  a  low  cliff  of  compact,  fine-grained 
limestone  which  clinks  like  steel  under  the  hammer.  When  the 
wind  blows  from  the  northeast,  the  waves  beating  at  the  foot  of 
the  cliff  dash  the  fragments  of  stone  against  each  other,  causing 
them  to  give  forth  peculiar  sounds.    It  is  an  ^olian  harp  of  stone. 


Ill 

THE  NUN  OF  STE.  CLAIRE. 


1 


A  Legend  of  the  "Coureur  des  Bois.' 


LONG  before  Cadillac  liad  founded  our  beau- 
tiful city  of  Detroit,  certain  bold  rovers 
called  coureurs  des  bois  had  already  pitched 
their  tents  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Ste.  Claire. 
Among  them  was  Jean  Parent,  whose  stern,  silent 
face  like  a  tomb  seemed  to  hide  the  dust  of  dead 
and  buried  hopes.  He  had  left  beneath  Canada's 
skies  the  graves  of  wife,  parents  and  kindred.  One 
tender  rootlet  remained  to  try  to  win  liim  back  to 
life — little  Genevieve,  his  daughter,  whom  he  had 
l)r()iight  with  him  to  Grosse  Pointe,  whose  happy, 
sunny  disposition  caused  joy  to  reign  in  the  full- 
ness of  her  grace.  As  the  father  gazed  ui)oii  his 
growing  child  he  would  smile,  as  if  some  far- 
gone  memory  came  back  to  suiprise  his   heart. 


18  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

An  expression  of  gentleness  would  flash  on  his 
face,  and  his  voice  would  soften  like  the  winds 
when  the  storm  is  o'er.  Others  soon  found  this 
wild  forest  flower  and  ofi'ered  her  their  simple 
Jiomage.  Shyly  she  turned  away  from  them;  the 
tremulous  wings  of  her  heart  were  still  furled, 
.and  she  waited  only  to  fly  from  the  world  to  rest 
on  the  bosom  of  her  Saviour.  She  was  anxious  to 
devote  her  life  to  the  service  of  God,  and  had 
written  some  time  previous  to  the  opening  of  our 
story  to  her  aunt,  the  superior  of  the  Ursuline 
convent  at  Three  Rivers,  to  be  admitted  as  a  nun 
in  her  community. 

Jaques  Morand  one  day  met  Genevieve,  and 
was  charmed  as  if  by  a  vision.  He  was  one  of 
the  fifty  men  who  had  come  with  Duluth  in  1680 
to  found  a  fort  near  the  present  Fort  Gratiot,  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  Fort  St.  Joseph. 
Genevieve  tried  by  every  gentle  art  to  make  him  un- 
derstand that  his  efforts  were  in  vain.  Seeing  him 
still  persistent,  and  knowing  that  vanity  plucks 
from  her  quiver  her  barbed  arrows  only  when 
rivalry  enters  the  field,  she  told  him  the  desire  of 
her  heart  was  to  become  a  nun.  This  resolution 
on  her  part  only  intiamed  his  wish  to  i)ossess  her 
either  by  fair  or  foul  means.  He  appealed  in  his 
desperation  for  assistance  to  an  old  Indian  witch 
who  practiced  her  incantations  in  the  darkest  part 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  19 

of  the  forest,  untenanted  save  by  the  ghosts  of 
gloom.  On  his  promising  to  sell  his  soul  to  the 
devil  she  gave  him  the  power  to  change  himself 
into  the  form  of  a  wolf  or  Loup  Garou  (wehr-wolf), 
so  he  might  more  easily  carry  away  his  victim. 

The  postal  system  of  those  primitive  days  was 
not  as  perfect  or  expeditions  as  at  present,  so 
Genevieve  had  many  long  vigils  to  keep  ere  an 
answer  would  arrive.  She  spent  most  of  her  time 
in  preparing  herself  for  her  new  vocation  by 
prayer  and  fasting.  Some  pious  hands  had  raised, 
on  the  border  of  the  forest,  beneath  an  ancient 
oak  whose  acorn  had  been  cradled  ages  before,  an 
altar  to  Notre  Dame  de  Bonsecour.  Genevieve 
wished  to  erect  one  on  the  beach.  So,  assisted  by 
her  father,  she  formed  one  of  the  rocks  cast  there 
by  some  great  Manitou,  whereon  she  placed  a 
statue  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  She  frequently 
visited  the  forest  shrine,  but  long  were  the  hours 
spent  at  the  one  on  the  beach.  The  waves  would 
lazily  sing  as  they  crept  upon  the  shore,  and  the 
birds  catching  the  refrain  would  chant  it  to  the 
rustling  leaves.  It  was  but  a  note  in  the  grand 
harmony  of  nature  to  whicli  the  girl's  yearning 
soul  responded  in  the  same  mystic  key.  Early  in 
the  springtime  when  the  earth  blossomed  with 
new  liopes,  Genevieve  sent  forth  her  petition  to 
Three  Rivers.     Late  in  the  lull,  when  the  waters 


20  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

chased  by  the  east  wind  had  nestled  at  the  foot  of 
the  rocky  shrine,  the  answer  came  to  Genevieve 
that  her  wish  was  c^ranted.  With  a  heart  aglow 
with  happiness,  which  lent  buoyancy  to  her  trip- 
ping feet  as  they  crushed  the  autumn  leaves,  she 
visited  the  sylvan  shrine  of  Bonsecour.  This 
child  of  the  wilderness  poured  forth  her  simple 
thanksgiving,  borrowing  unconscious  pathos  from 
the  dead  leaves,  frost-bitten  shrubs  and  bare  trees, 
mute  types  of  mortals'  doom. 

As  she  prepared  to  go  towards  the  beach  her 
lover  Jacques,  in  the  form  of  a  Loup  Garou,  with 
gleaming  eyes,  sj)rang  out  into  her  path.  But  the 
cross  which  she  held  in  her  hand  disconcerted 
him.  Like  a  fawn  Genevieve  leaped  aside  and 
tiew  swifter  than  tlie  wind  toward  the  lake.  The 
evil  beast  came  bounding  in  hot  pursuit.  Gene- 
vieve finding  her  strength  failing  sought  refuge  in 
the  little  grotto  of  rocks  on  the  beach.  She  threw 
herself  at  the  feet  of  the  Virgin,  imploring  aid  and 
protection.  She  felt  the  fiery  breath  of  the  brute 
and,  with  a  despairing  cry  for  mercy,  fainted. 
The  appeal  was  heard  ;  as  the  Loup  Garou  leaj)ed 
on  the  rocks  he  was  instantly  transformed  to 
stone.  The  passer-bj^  to-day  may  see  at  Tonnan- 
cour*  this  old  legend  embodied  in  stone. 


*  Toanancour  is  the  name  of  Mr.  T.  P.  Hall's  summer  residence 
al  Grosse  Pointe,  so  called  from  a  title  and  seigueurie  in  the  God- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  21 

The  fashionable  worldlings  who  drive  past  mere- 
ly see  a  pretty  rustic  retreat,  but  the  descendants 
of  tlie  old  habitants  say,  "Voila  le  Garou  !  "  and 
raise  their  hats  piously  to  Notre  Dame  de  Ste. 
Claire. 


froy  family  of  Three  Rivers,  Canada,  bestowed  by  Louis  XIV. 

September  15,  1GG8. 


IV 


THE  "NAIN  ROUGE." 


A  Legend  of  the  Founding-  of  Detroit. 


OFT  strains  of  music  min- 
gled witli  sounds  of  revelry 
and  joyous  laughter  issued 
from  the  banquet  hall  in 
the  grand  old  castle  of  St, 
Louis,  Quebec,  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  10th  of  March, 
1701.  Subdued,  shaded 
lights  bathed  the  room  in  mellow  radiance,  where, 
around  a  table  resplendent  with  costly  silver  and 
sparkling  glass,  sat  a  gay  party  of  French  offi- 
cers. 

At  the  head  was  Hector  Louis  de  Callieres,  Gov- 
ernor of  New  France,  and  on  his  left  the  Intend- 
ant  le  Chevalier  Bochart  de  Champigny.  Amid 
the   brilliant    group   were  those    bearing  names 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  2? 

which  stood  high  in  la  belle  France — T)e  Montigny, 
Le  Gardeiir,  Le  Moyne,  Dagneaiix  Douville,  De 
Tonty,  Godfroy  de  Tonnancour,  etc.  The  post  of 
honor  was  occupied  by  Monsieur  La  Mothe  Cad- 
illac, Sieur  de  Douaguet  and  Mont  Desert. 

lie  had  just  returned  from  France,  bringing 
with  liim  from  (V)unt  Pontcbarti-ain,  the  Colonial 
Minister,  a  commission  of  Commandant,  and  the 
grant  of  a  tract  of  land  fifteen  acres  square,  wher- 
ever on  "le  Detroit''  he  should  see  lit  to  locate  a 
colony  and  build  a  fort. 

Whilst  they  are  toasting  Cadillac  in  many  a 
bumper,  let  us  turn  for  a  brief  review  of  the  event- 
ful career  of  the  founder  of  Detroit. 

Antoine  de  la  Mothe  Cadillac,  son  of  Jean  and. 
Jeanne  Malenfant,  first  saw  light  at  Toulouse  in 
IGGl.  At  the  age  of  16  he  entered  the  service,, 
and  l)ecame  a  Lieutenant  at  21.  He  came  to  Que- 
bec with  his  regiment,  in  which  were  many  of  the 
scions  of  noble  houses.  Here  he  met  and  wedded 
the  beauliful  Marie  Therese  Guyon,  the  daughter 
of  an  influential  and  wealthy  bourgeois.  Shortly 
afterwards  the  stern  decree  of  war  compelled  him 
to  leave  his  bride.  He  was  sent  to  Acadia,  where 
his  braverjMvon  him  distinction  and  a  commission 
from  the  French  Government  to  make  a  report  of 
the  condition  of  the  English  colonies  at  that  epoch. 
Count  Frontenac  in  1694  complimented  Cadillac  as 


24  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

the  most  efficient  and  energetic  officer  at  Ms  dis- 
posal, by  giving  him  the  command  of  Fort  Buade, 
Michillimackinac,  a  post  lie  retained  for  five  years. 
His  treaties  with  the  Indians  disjDlayed  such  thor- 
ough experience  and  ability  that  he  was  rewarded 
by  the  government  with  a  concession  of  the  Island 
of  Mont  Desert  (now  a  watering  place  on  the 
New  England  coast),  also  a  grant  of  a  tract  on  the 
main  land  near  the  River  Pentagoet,  called  Doua- 
guet,  from  whence  he  took  his  titles.  He  had 
several  times  passed  through  "The  Strait," 
(Detroit  River)  and  noted  with  his  quick  eye,  the 
wonderful  advantages  it  possessed.  As  a  mili- 
tary post  it  would  be  a  barrier  to  the  wily  Iroquois; 
to  the  English  a  gate,  shutting  them  off  from 
commerce  with  the  Indians  of  the  far  West,  and 
to  France,  the  center  of  the  fur  trade  in  this  section 
of  the  country.  His  earnest  representations  on 
the  desirability  of  establishing  a  post  on  "le  De- 
troit," added  to  his  renown  as  an  able  soldier, 
had  gained  the  consent  of  the  Colonial  Minister  to 
his  daring  scheme. 

Let  us  return  to  the  festive  dinner  party,  where 
the  swiftly  passing  hours  were  enlivened  by  the 
sparkling  repartees  which  Hashed  from  lip  to  lip 
had  the  brilliant  jeu  d'es^Drit,  which  drew  their 
inspiration  from  the  rare,  generous  wine  of  the 
noted  cellars  of  the  castle. 


Legends  of  Le  DHroit.  25 

Whilst  iiierriment  was  at  its  height,  a  servant 
whispered  something  in  the  host's  ear,  and  he, 
turning  to  the  guests,  said:  "Messieurs,  an  old 
fortune-teller  craves  to  enter ;  shall  I  bid  her  do 
so?"  All  were  in  that  happy  frame  of  mind 
eager  for  any  diversion,  and  a  full  chorus  of  "  Oui, 
Monsieur"  was  the  response.  One  of  the  gen- 
tlemen proi)osed  to  change  places  so  as  to  puzzle 
tlie  old  witch  if  she  had  heard  anything  from  the 
servants.  The  party  had  barely  changed  when 
the  door  opened  and  the  figure  of  an  old  woman 
entered. 

So  strange,  so  bizarre,  was  her  appearance  that 
a  murmur  of  surprise  greeted  her.  A  woman  of 
unusual  height,  a  dark,  swarthy  complexion,  rest- 
less, glittering  eyes, — strangely  fashioned  gar- 
ments yet  in  harmony  with  her  face.  Some  one 
said'  "What  is  your  name  ?"  In  a  deep,  sonorous 
voice,  with  a  slight  foreign  accent,  she  answered, 
"They  call  me  Mere  Minique,  La  Sorciere,"  On 
her  left  shoulder  was  perched  a  black,  meagre 
cat.  Half  a  dozen  palms  were  stretched  forth  for 
her  inspection  ;  one  after  another  she  read.  When 
she  hesitated  the  cat  would  lick  her  ear,  and  the 
more  superstitious  thought  it  the  devil  giving 
information.  Many  were  tlie  lively  sallies  as  she 
betrayed  some  marked  peculiarity  of  the  guest, 
and  whisperings  of  amazement,  as  at  times  her 


26  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

knowledge  seemed  almost  supernatural.  At  last 
she  came  to  La  Motlie  Cadillac,  who,  naturally 
skeptical,  said,  "Ma  bonne  Mere,  see  what  you 
can  tell  for  me  of  the  future,  I  care  not  for  the 
past." 

Earnestly  scanning  his  bold,  energetic  face,  she 
took  a  brazen  basin,  into  which  she  poured  from  a 
curiously  carved  silver  vial,  which  she  drew  from 
her  breast,  a  clear,  heavy  liquid  like  quicksilver, 
and  holding  La  Mothe  Cadillac's  hand,  gazed  into 
the  basin.  "  Sieur,"  she  said,  "yours  is  a  strange 
destiny.  A  dangerous  journey  you  will  soon 
undertake  ;  you  will  found  a  great  city  which  one 
day  will  have  more  inhabitants  than  New  France 
now  possesses  ;  many  children  will  nestle  around 
your  fireside.''  Slie  paused  and  Cadillac,  thor- 
oughly interested,  bade  her  continue.  "Mon 
Chevalier,  I  wish  you  had  not  commanded  me  to 
go  on,  for  dark  clouds  are  arising  and  I  see  dimly 
your  star.  The  policy  you  intend  pursuing  in 
selling  liquor  to  the  savages,  contrary  to  the  ad- 
vice of  the  Jesuits  will  cause  you  much  trouble, 
and  be  the  cause  of  your  ruin.  In  years  to  come 
your  colony  will  be  the  scene  of  strife  and  blood- 
shed, the  Indians  will  be  treacherous,  the  hated 
English  will  struggle  for  its  possession,  but  under 
a  new  flag  it  will  reach  a  height  of  prosperity 
which  you  never  in  your  wildest  dreams  pictured.. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  2T 

You  will  bask  in  a  sunnier  climate,  but  France- 
will  claim  your  last  sigh." 

''Shall  my  children  inherit  my  possessions?" 
asked  Cadillac,  unconsciously  giving  utterance  to- 
the  secret  desire  of  his  heart. 

"  Your  future  and  theirs  lie  in  your  own 
hands,  beware  of  undue  ambition  ;  it  will  mar  all 
your  plans.  Appease  the  Nain  Rouge-  (Red 
Dwarf).  Beware  of  offending  him.  Should  you 
be  thus  unfortunate  not  a  vestige  of  your  inherit- 
ance will  be  given  to  your  heirs.  Your  name  will 
be  scarcely  known  in  the  city  you  founded." 

All  were  deeply  impressed  by  the  prophecy  of 
the  sibyl,  save  him  to  whom  it  was  addressed. 
Shortly  afterwards  the  party  separated  and  Cadil- 
lac amused  his  wife  by  giving  her  a  humorous 
account  of  the  old  prophetess,  but,  to  his  amaze- 
ment, she  too,  seemed  to  look  upon  the  event  as 
of  grave  import. 

On  the  following  day  La  Mothe  Cadillac  bade 
farewell  to  Quebec  and  left  with  his  expedition 
of  fifty  soldiers  and  fifty  artisans  and  voyageurs. 
Ali)h()nse  de  Tonty,  a  relative  of  the  Guyons,  was 
his  captain ;  Dugue  and  Charconale  his  lieuten- 


*The  Nain  Kouge  was  the  demon  of  the  Strait,  and  in  the  old- 
traditions  is  described  as  most  malignant,  if  ollended,  but  capable 
of  being  appeased  by  tiattery. 


28      •  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

ants;  Jacob  de  Marsac,  Sieur  de  L'Ommesprou 
his  sergeant ;  Francois  and  Jean  Fafard  his  in- 
terpreters ;  Father  Constantin  del  Halle,  a  Recol- 
let,  and  Father  Yaillant,  a  Jesuit,  the  chaplains. 
La  Mothe  Cadillac  was  not  fond  of  the  Jesuits, 
as  they  were  powerful  and  strongly  opposed  to  the 
sale  of  brandy  to  the  savages,  this  traffic  being  an 
immense  source  of  revenue  to  the  early  colonists. 
The  Jesuit  was  sent  by  the  Governor  at  the  solici- 
tation of  the  Superior  of  the  Jesuits,  and  was 
nicknamed  by  La  Mothe  Cadillac  as  "Monsieur 
deTrop." 

Cadillac  wished  to  go  by  way  of  Lake  Erie,  but 
the  Governor  decreed  otherwise.  They  left  the 
Lachine  Rapids  the  5th  of  June,  the  trees  were 
just  budding  and  game  and  fish  furnished  an 
abundance  of  food.  In  July  they  arrived  at  Georg- 
ian Bay,  via  the  Grand  River  of  the  Ottawas,  and 
coasting  down  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Huron 
they  reached,  on  the  20th,  the  river  Ste.  Claire  and 
the  old  Fort  St.  Joseph,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron 
abandoned  by  Duluth  thirteen  years  before. 
•  On  the  24th  of  July,  1701,  the  head  of  the  ex- 
pedition rounded  Belle  Isle  and  soon  landed  at 
a  little  cove  at  the  foot  of  the  present  Griswold 
street.  The  Ottawas  and  Hurons,  whose  villages 
were  near,  rushed  down  to  welcome  them,  as  did 
also  a  few  French  "coureurs  des  bois,"  who  lived 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  SO" 

here.  Two  of  their  names  are  still  preserved ; 
Pierre  Roy  and  Francois  Pelletier. 

On  the  following  day,  with  great  ceremony, 
pickets  for  a  new  fort  on  the  site  of  an  old  stock- 
ade were  erected  and  a  store  honse  bnilt  on  the 
fonndation  of  an  abandoned  one,  previously  con- 
structed by  the  coureurs  des  bois  for  their  winter 
supplies. 

A  salute  was  given  from  the  guns  brought  for 
the  new  fort,  which  Cadillac  christened  Fort 
Pontchartrain.*  On  the  26th,  Ste.  Anne's  day, 
with  clerical  ceremony,  the  foundation  of  the  first 
church  west  of  the  Alleghanies  was  laid.  Soon 
the  stockade,  which  enclosed  about  an  acre,t  was 
finished,  and  the  streets  of  Ste.  i^nne  and  St. 
Louis  laid  out  and  lined  with  the  barracks  for 
the  troops  and  with  houses  constructed  of  hewn 
logs.  IJetroit  was  founded,  and  its  prosj^ects  for 
a  successful  colony  bright. 

The  fortune-teller's  prediction,  or  at  least  part  of 
it,  was  verified. 

*  Royal  sanction  for  this  name  was  received  by  Cadillac  a  year 
later,  July,  1703. 

f  An  acre  of  ground  at  the  foot  of  a  hillock  on  the  river  bank. 


V      • 

THE  MAY  POLE. 


A  Legrend  of  "Faith,  and  Homagre." 

SIX  years  had  passed  since  the  foundmg  of  De- 
troit. The  frontier  settlement  began  to  as- 
sume a  civilized  aspect,  and  everywhere  the 
touch  of  woman's  hand  had  left  its  impress  of 
comfort  and  refinement  in  the  rude  pioneer  homes, 
which  already  extended  along  the  Cote  du  Nord 
Est  to  La  Riviere  Parent  (Bloody  Run). 

The  undaunted  energy  of  Cadillac  was  rewarded 
Iby  a  yearly  increase  of  settlers,  and  the  records 
of  Ste.  Anne's  Church,  the  most  accurate  and 
authentic  census  of  those  early  days,  show  from 
1704  to  1707  an  annual  birth  rate  of  fourteen. 

La  Mothe  Cadillac  made  his  first  grant  of  land 
to  his  interpreter,  Fafard,  on  the  10th  of  March, 
1707.    It  was  of  a  tract  adjoining  his  domains,  stip- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  31 

iilating  as  usual  for  all  his  feudal  rights,  includ- 
ing- the  acknowledgment  of  faith,  homage,  and 
the  planting  of  a  Maj^  pole  each  year. 

There  was  great  commotion  in  the  little  colony 
on  that  bright  May  morning  in  1707.  The  very 
atmosphere  seemed  pregnant  with  excitement,  for 
so  does  a  gala  day  drape  itself  around  everything, 
clothe  all  in  its  vague  fancies,  and  unconsciously 
communicate  to  us  more  or  less  of  its  color.  We 
wear  its  cockade  and  favor  in  oiir  dress  and 
humor. 

In  front  of  the  Seigneur  de  Cadillac's  manor  a 
great  crowd  had  assembled,  and  from  the  eager 
expectancy  written  on  every  face,  it  was  evident 
that  some  unusual  event  of  interest  was  to  take 
place.  Slowly  the  form  of  Monsieur  Fafard,  the 
interpreter,  was  seen  approaching  with  a  stately, 
dignified  step,  each  movement  measured  by  the 
importance  of  the  act  of  which  he  was  to  play 
the  part  of  chief  actor.  The  French  understand 
perfectly  that  delicate  art  of  investing  even  a  tri- 
lling circumstance  with  an  entourage  of  interest 
and  display  which  gratifies  their  national  vanity 
and  love  of  glory. 

]\r()nsieur  Fafai-d  knocked  at  the  Seigneui-  Cad- 
illac's door,  wiiich  was  opened  by  the  major  domo. 
He  inquired  for  Monsieur  la  Mothe  Cadillac,  who 
immediately  stepped  forth  arrayed  in  his  blue 


32  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

uniform  and  cavaliei'  hat  with  white  phimes. 
Monsieur  Fafard  uncovered  his  head  and  falling 
on  his  knees  rendered  fealty  in  the  following 
manner:  "Monsieur  du  Detroit,  Monsieur  du 
Detroit,  Monsieur  du  Detroit,  I  bring  you  faith 
and  homage  which  I  am  bound  to  pay  you  on 
account  of  my  fief  of  De  Lorme,  which  I  hold  as 
a  man  of  faith,  of  your  Seigniory  of  Detroit,  de- 
claring that  I  offer  to  pay  my  seignorial  and  feudal 
dues  in  their  season,  and  demanding  of  you  to  ac- 
cept me  in  faith  and  homage  as  aforesaid."  As 
he  saluted  la  Mothe  and  turned  away,  Francois 
Bosseron  and  others  who  had  been  granted  fiefs 
offered  their  homage  .in  turn, 

Cadillac's  house  stood  on  the  line  of  the  pres- 
ent Jefferson  Avenue  before  it  had  been  sloped 
down  to  the  Chemin  du  Rond.*  A  spacious  "gal- 
lerie"  adorned  the  front  of  the  manor  overlooking 
the  smooth  cut  lawn  and  majestic  river.  A  hole 
had  been  dug  in  the  centre  of  the  lawn,  and  a  tall, 
stately  pole  lay  ready  for  raising.  The  branches 
had  been  trimmed  off,  except  a  little  clump  at  the 
top  called  ' '  the  bouquet. ' '  And  to  this  had  been 
nailed  a  parti-colored  pole,  from  which  the  royal 
flag  with  the  fair  Fleur  de  Lis  of  France  floated. 
Smooth  and  white  was  the  pole  and  to  its  sides 

*Near  the  old  Campau  homestead. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  33- 

blocks  were  nailed  to  allow  a  persoa  to  ascend. 
The  tiring  of  a  gun  was  tlie  signal  to  begin  tlie 
ceremony.  The  Seigneur  Cadillac  had  seated  him- 
self on  the  "gallerie,"  surrounded  by  his  wife, 
children  and  officers.  A  delegation  from  the  hab- 
itants approached  and  bowing  low  asked  him  per- 
mission to  X-)lant  the  May  pole  in  front  of  his  house. 
The  request  was  graciously  acceded  to  and  Father 
Deniau  knelt  and  offered  up  a  prayer  that  the 
festivities  might  pass  without  accident.  The  pole 
impelled  by  strong,  sinewy  arms  slowly  rose,  while 
the  voyageurs  broke  out  in  their  wild  and  inspired 
song,  "Vive  la  Canadienne  et  ses  jolis  yeux 
doux."  * 

Tlie  Seigneur  de  la  Mothe  Cadillac  then  ad- 
vanced hat  in  hand  and  smilingly  accepted  the 
pole,  and  asked  all  to  join  him  in  watering  it  that 
it  might  flourish.  A  cask  of  eau  de  vie  was  tapped  ; 
cups  and  Hasks  of  every  design  and  shape  were 
passed  around,  and  Cadillac  raised  his  silver  gob- 
let and  pledged  the  King  and  the  health  of  all 
present.     An  agile  youth  ascended  the  pole  and 

*The  favorite  boat  songs  of  the  voyageurs  were  "La  Jolie 
Canadienne,"  and  "  A  la  Claire  Fontaine."  Mr.  Mariuier  in  his 
work,  "  The  Songs  of  the  North  "  ("Chants  du  Nord  "),  publishes 
nearly  line  for  line  these  songs  as  belonging  to  his  country,  Franche 
Comte. 

3 


•34:  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

shouted,  ' '  Vive  le  Roi,  Yive  le  Seigneur  Cadillac 
du  Detroit ! ' '     Then  all  caught  the  refrain  : 

"Grand  Dieu  sauve  le  Roi, 
Grand  Dieu  venge  le  Roi, 

Vive  le  Roi ! 
Que  toujours  glorieux, 
Louis  Victorieux, 
Voye  ses  ennemis, 

Toujours  soumis, 
Vive  le  Roi!  "  * 

The  air  was  filled  with  cheers,  the  drums  rolled, 
the  trumpets  sounded,  and  the  guns  completed 
the  crescendo  of  acclamations.  The  pole  was 
then  ready  to  be  blackened.  This  was  done  by 
Cadillac  taking  a  gun  loaded  with  powder  only, 
and  firing  at  the  pole.  Then  Madame  and  Antoine, 
Jr.,  a  cadet  of  fifteen,  took  their  turn,  followed 
by  the  members  of  the  family  and  officers,  and 
finally  each  of  the  habitants  nntil  the  clean  pole 
was  blackened  its  whole  length.  It  was  usually 
left  standing  several  months,  to  remove  it  being 
considered  unlucky.  Tables  were  spread  under 
the  shade  of  the  trees,  and  refreshments  in  abun- 
dance served  to  all. 

Then  followed  "  La  dance  ronde"  on  the  green 
sward.  Cadillac  gazed  musingly  on  the  pretty 
scene  before  him.     The  picturesque  dress  of  the 

*  Vive  le  Roi.  Handel  appropriated  this  song  for  the  House  of 
Hanover.  It  was  sung  by  the  girls  of  Saint  Cyr  before  Louis, 
1653. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  35 

habitants  and  voyaG:eurs,  olad  in  tlieir  blue  tunics 
and  elk  skin  trousers,  (whose  seams  were  adorned 
with  yellow  fi-inge,)  their  buckskin  moccasins 
ornamented  with  beads,  their  scarlet  sashes,  in 
which  were  kept  the  hunting  knife  in  its  silver 
case,  blended  with  thesoUliers'  dress  of  blue,  with 
its  white  facing.  The  officers  wore  gay  uni- 
forms and  cavalier  hats,  with  the  showy  ostrich 
feather,  their  hair  hanging  in  long  powdered 
queues  tied  with  ribbon.  The  ladies,  in  their 
coquettish  costumes,  dashed  with  l)right  ribbons, 
resembled  birds  of  paradise  as  they  swayed  to 
the  graceful  movements  of  the  dance.  Each  lady's 
head  was  surmounted  with  a  gay  "  fontange  "  or 
top-knot.  It  was  a  gay,  light-hearted  community, 
with  few  taxes  to  pay,  simple  tastes  to  gratify, 
friendly  with  the  neighboring  Indians.  Peace, 
contentment  and  quiet  hapi)iness  seemed  to  reign 
over  this  little  Arcadia, 

So  thought  Cadillac  as  at  twilight,  after  the 
people  had  dispersed,  he  strolled  with  his  wife  in 
the  King's  Garden.*  Human  nature  grows  more 
communicative  at  this  hour,  thoughts  which  iind 
no  utterance  in  the  broad  light  of  day  now  glide 
forth  from  the  heart.   He  told  her  that  his  dreams 

*  The  King's  Garden  wag  between  Jefferson  avenue  and  Wood- 
bridge  street,  near  tlic  site  of  the  present  Cliamber  of  Commerce. 


36  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

of  ambition  were  about  to  be  realized,  notwith- 
standing the  obstacles  of  his  enemies.  His  colony 
was  prosperous  and  his  children  would  inherit  a 
princely  portion ;  that  his  name  would  become 
historic  and  illustrious.  Thus  were  they  talking 
when  two  weary  revellers  homeward  bound  passed 
so  near  them  that  fragments  of  their  conversation 
fell  on  their  ears.  "Yes,"  said  Jean  Baptiste, 
"our  Seigneur  and  the  Dos  Blanc "■■■  carry  them- 
selves very  high,  with  their  silver  plate  and  fine 
clothing,  whilst  we  poor  habitants  must  pay 
double  for  everything,  even  our  jDetit  coup  'd  eau 
de  vie  ; ' '  expressing  a  little  of  the  communistic 
sentiments  of  the  present  time. 

"Things  cannot  run  very  long  thus,"  answered 
his  companion.  "  My  wife  saw  a  few  days  ago 
'le  petit  homme  Rouge'  and — "  The  rest  was 
lost  as  the  speakers  disappeared.  Cadillac' s  wife 
grasped  her  husband's  hand  convulsively  and 
said:  "Did  you  not  hear?  'Le  petit  homme 
Rouge '  is  the  dreaded  '  Nain  Rouge. '  ' ' 

"  What  of  that?"  said  Cadillac. 

"  'Beware  of  the  Nain  Rouge'  was  what  that 


*  Dos  Blanc.  Literally  "White  backs."  The  officers  powdered 
their  wigs,  and  the  powder  falling  on  their  coats  whitened  the 
backs.  Many  of  the  habitants  encased  their  queues  in  eelskin  to^ 
prevent  the  powder  fi'om  ruining  their  dress. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  37 

prophetess  told  you  ;  Avlien  he  should  come  mis- 
fortune was  nigh/' 

"Bah!"  laughed  Cadillac,  "have  you  not  for- 
gotten that  nonsense  of  a  silly  old  fortune-teller? 
Let  us  return  home." 

Annoyed  himself  at  the  remembrance,  and 
doubly  so  at  his  wife  for  unconsciously  giving 
utterance  to  his  vague  uneasiness,  they  proceeded 
in  silence. 

Suddenly  across  their  path,  trotting  along  the 
beach,  advanced  the  uncouth  figure  of  a  dwarf, 
very  red  in  the  face,  with  a  bright,  glistening  eye  ; 
instead  of  burning  it  froze,  instead  of  possessing 
depth  emitted  a  cold  gleam  like  the  reflection  from 
a  polished  surface,  bewildering  and  dazzling  all 
who  came  within  its  focus.  A  grinning  mouth 
displaying  sharp,  pointed  teeth,  completed  this 
strange  face. 

"It  is  the  Nain  Rouge,"  whispered  Cadillac's 
wife. 

Before  she  had  time  to  say  more,  Cadillac's  ill- 
nature  had  vented  itself  in  striking  the  object 
with  a  cane  he  held  in  his  hand,  saying  : 

"Get  out  of  my  way,  you  red  imp  !" 

A  iiendish,  mocking  laugh  pierced  the  still 
night  air  as  the  monstf^r  vanished. 

"You  have  offended  him,''  said  Madame.  "Your 
impetuosity  will  bring  you  and  youis  to  ruin. 


38  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

You  were  told  to  coax  him — to  beware  of  annoying- 
this  demon — and  in  your  ungovernable  temper  you 
do  just  otherwise.  Misfortune  will  soon  be  our 
portion." 

Cadillac  shortly  afterward  visited  Montreal, 
was  arrested  through  the  intrigues  of  his  enemies, 
and  was  compelled  to  sell  his  seigniory  in  Detroit 
to  pay  for  his  trial.  He  was  removed  to  Louisiana 
as  Grovernor,  but  died  at  Castle  Sarasin,  in  France. 
"His  children  never  inherited  an  acre  of  his  vast 
estates.  His  colony  for  the  next  hundred  years 
was  the  scene  of  strife,  war  and  massacre.  Its 
flag  changed  fivp  times  ;  under  that  of  the  Repub- 
lic it  reached  that  glorious  prosperity  which  the 
fortune-teller  had  predicted. 

The  Nain  Rouge  in  the  mystic  past  was  consid- 
ered the  banshee  or  "Demon  of  the  City  of  the 
Straits,"  and  whenever  he  appeared  it  was  a  sure 
sign  of  impending  evil.  The  night  before  Dal- 
zell's  ill-fated  attack  at  Bloody  Run,  he  was  seen 
running  along  the  shore.  And  in  1805,  when  the 
city  was  destroyed  by  fire,  many  an  old  habitant 
thought  that  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  his  mali- 
cious face  as  he  darted  through  the  burning  build- 
ings. On  a  foggy  morning  before  Hull's  cowardly 
surrender  of  Detroit,  he  was  seen  ;  but  since  then 
he  has  never  reappeared,  having,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
accomplished  his  nussion.     But  the  tradition  still 


Legeitds  of  Le  Detroit.  39 

lingers  among  the  old  habitants  that  should  mis- 
fortune ever  threaten  the  bonnie  City  of  the  Straits, 
the  Nain  Rouge  will  again  appear  to  give  the  sig- 
nal of  warning. 


VI 


THE  PHANTOM  PRIEST. 


A  Legend  of  Sainte  Anne's  Church. 


EIN'EATH  the  sunny  skies  of 
Italy,  on  the  banks  of  the  Arno, 
not  far  from  "Florence  the 
Beautiful,"  the  guide  jDoints  to 
an  old  monastery  as  the  last 
relic  of  an  order  now  almost  extinct,  the  Recollets. 
With  the  deep  feeling  of  interest  which  the  slight- 
est relation  with  home  awakens  in  a  foreign 
land,  we  turn  with  kindling  eyes  and  tender 
emotions  surging  through  our  hearts,  to  gaze  rev- 
erently upon  the  building  as  on  the  face  of  an 
aged  friend.  For  from  beneath-  that  massive 
archway  came  forth  a  brave,  courageous  band, 
who  first  left  the  impress  of  their  footsteps  on  the 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  41 

virgin  soil  of  our  fair  city.  Within  tliose  gloomy 
walls  they  were  trained  by  an  austere  and  ascetic 
rule  to  meet  those  dangers  and  hardships  insejja- 
rablel'rom  the  explorations  of  anew  country;  and 
their  heroic  and  almost  supernatural  efforts  to 
convert  the  savage,  liave  challenged  the  admira- 
tion of  every  age.  Wherever  the  lily  of  France 
unfurled  itself  to  the  new  breezes  of  America,  the 
cross  became  its  Hag-staff,  and  the  rude  birchen 
chapel  the  mile-stone  to  record  the  missionaries' 
progress. 

In  1670  there  resided  in  Florence  an  ancient 
family  of  wealth  and  distinction  named  Del  Halle. 
Its  heir  and  last  representative  belonged  to  the 
"  jeunessedoree"  of  the  day.  He  blended  in  his 
cliaracter  that  happy  union  of  manly  qualities 
which  satisfied  his  haughty  father's  ambition, 
with  those  gentler  accomplishments  which  made 
him  the  idol  of  his  mother  s  heart.  Early  be- 
trothed to  Adelina,  the  daughter  of  a  i)rincely 
house,  to  whom  he  was  endeared  by  the  sweetest 
links  of  childhood,  their  future  promised  to  be  as 
unclouded  as  the  sunny  sky  of  their  native  land. 
But,  like  the  simoon  which  blackens  and  lays  low 
all  over  which  it  i)asses,  the  fell  destroyer,  "the 
black  death"  of  the  fourteenth  century,  again 
visited  Florence,  converting  its  palaces  into  char- 
nel  houses,  its  laughter  into  wails,  its  music  into 


42  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

funeral  dirges,  leaving  mourning  and  desolation 
hanging  like  a  pall  over  the  doomed  city. 

One  morning  young  Del  Halle  awoke  to  find  no 
response  to  his  faint  call  of  father  or  mother,  no 
anxious,  loving  bride  to  catch  the  tirst  dawn  of 
returning  consciousness.  All  had  been  swept 
away  by  the  dreadful  s.courge,  and  he  sat  alone  in 
his  deserted  halls,  with  memory  and  grief  as  his 
companions.  The  recollections  of  other  days 
with  their  bright  pictures  and  melodies  would 
come  surging  up  with  their  mocking  delusions. 
But  ever  and  anon  the  holy  face  of  an  aged  Recol- 
let  monk,  at  whose  knee  he  had  listened  in  early 
boyhood  to  the  marvelous  tales  of  the  mission- 
aries of  his  order  in  the  wilds  of  Canada,  came 
like  refreshing  dew  to  cool  his  parched  soul. 
A  few  weeks  afterward  he  knocked  for  admit- 
tance at  the  monastery  gate,  willingly  leaving 
behind  the  pleasures,  the  refinements,  and  the 
brilliant  prospects  so  alluring  to  his  years.  He 
exchanged  the  costly  robes  of  the  Florentine  noble 
for  the  serge  ;  the  sword  for  the  breviary,  and 
thus  at  the  early  age  of  twenty  did  the  heir  of  the 
Del  Halle  become  the  humble  Frere  Constantin. 
Ten  years  later  he  was  sent  to  France  and  from 
thence  sailed  to  Montreal.  It  was  in  Montreal  he 
met  La  Mothe  Cadillac,  a  young  French  officer, 
who  was  enthusiastic  over  a  scheme  of  foundina: 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  43 

a  colony  in  the  beautiful  "  Detroit  du  Lac  Erie." 
The  frank,  easy  manners  of  the  officer,  his  keen 
intellect  and  his  undaunted  ener^^y  won  the  affec- 
tion of  Frere  Constantin,  who  entered  with  all 
ardor  into  the  project  of  his  friend. 

Owing  to  various  political  causes,  the  necessary 
permission  and  grants  were  slow  in  coming,  but 
Cadillac's  patience  and  perseverance  were  at  last 
rewarded,  and  on  the  5th  of  June,  1701,  with  his 
little  band  of  fifty  soldiers  and  fifty  Canadians, 
with  M.  de  Tonty  as  captain,  Messrs.  Duguo  and 
de  Chacornacle  as  lieutenants,  he  sailed  from  Mon- 
treal. Frere  Constantin  Del  Halle  accompanied  the 
troops  as  chaplain,  with  Father  Vaillant,  a  Jesuit, 
who  was  going  as  missionary  to  the  different  tribes. 
They  arrived  at  Detroit  July  24,  1701.  Shortly 
afterwards  the  tinkling  sound  of  the  bell  sum- 
moned the  garrison  to  early  mass  and  told  that 
the  chaplain  had  already  begun  his  work.  By  the 
simplicity  of  his  manners,  the  uniform  sweetness 
of  his  disposition  and  his  austere  life,  he  gained 
the  respect  and  affection  of  all.  The  dec^})  shade 
of  melancholy  wliich  tinged  his  features  told  tlie 
unfortunate  tliat  liere  w;is  one.  wlio  had  known 
sorrow,  and  who  would  lend  a  sympathetic  ear  to 
the  tale  of  their  misfortunes  and  give  the  balm  of 
comforting  words  to  their  bruised  hearts.  The 
little  children  drawn  by  the  sympathetic  instincts 


44  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

of  childhood  would  nestle  their  heads  against  him 
and  shyly  put  their  tiny  hands  in  that  of  "  le  bon 
Frere." 

Among  the  officers  who  were  stationed  at  Fort 
Pontchartrain  (as  Cadillac  had  called  his  post,  in 
honor  of  Jerome  Phelyppeaux,  Count  Pontchar- 
train), was  Etienne  Veronde  Grandmesnil,  keeper 
of  the  King's  storehouse,  who  had  become  enam- 
ored with  the  dusky  daughter  of  a  Pottawatomie 
chief.  This  tribe,  though  friendly  to  the  French, 
had  resisted  every  effort  to  convert  them  to  Chris- 
tianity. A  prophet  of  their  nation  had  foretold 
that  as  soon  as  they  should  desert  their  Manitou 
for  that  of  the  white  man,  their  lands  would  pass 
aAvay,  their  wigwams  be  burnt,  and  their  tribe 
scattered.  Young  de  Veron,  unable  to  overcome 
the  obstinate  prejudice  of  the  old  chief  against 
Christianity,  in  the  ardor  of  youth  and  passion, 
thought  of  allying  himself  to  his  Indian  sweet- 
heart by  the  Indian  rights  and  betaking  himself 
to  the  lodges  of  the  Pottawatomies.  Frere  Con- 
stantin  remonstrated  with  de  Veron,  who  belonged 
to  a  noble  family  of  Quebec,  spoke  of  his  father's 
hopes  in  him,  his  mother's  love  and  of  his  duty 
as  a  soldier  of  France,  told  him  to  be  patient, 
and  the  old  chief  would  relent ;  but  threatened, 
if  he  persisted,  that  he  should  incur  the  severest 
penalty  of  the  church — excommunication.     The 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  45 

Indijin  maiden,  worried  })y  her  f;itlier\s  command 
to  wed  a  warrior  oi"  lier  nation,  and  stung  by  tlie 
apparent  indiit'erence  of  her  lover,  determined  to 
put  an  end  to  her  sorrow.  Stealing  away  from  her 
wigwam  one  stormy  night  under  the  kindly  pro- 
tection of  the  darkness,  she  plunged  into  the  tur- 
bulent waters.  An  agonizing  cry  brought  succour 
to  the  shores  but  she  sank  away  before  aid  could, 
reach  her  and  a  few  days  later  her  body  was  found 
iioatiug  in  the  Detroit. 

Shortly  after  Frere  Constantin  ^was  called  tem- 
porarily away  to  another  mission,  and  as  days 
passed  and  he  still  lingered,  although  the  coureurs 
des  bois  had  reported  his  leaving  the  mission 
before  them,  Cadillac  became  uneasy;  for  time  and 
the  constant  dangers  and  perils  of  those  daj^s 
only  served  to  cement  the  links  of  a  friendship  so 
happily  begun  years  before  in  Montreal.  It  was 
noticed  that  a  cloud  rested  on  Cadillac's  brow 
which  the  tender  solicitation  of  his  wife,  the  fair 
Therese  Guyon,  could  not  chase  away  nor  the 
infantile  graces  of  his  favorite  child,  the  little 
Therese,  the  pet  of  the  colony — as  she  was  the 
first  born  and  baptized  in  the  fort — soothe  by  her 
caresses.  Strange  stories  were  whispered  by  the 
Indians  to  the  soldiers,  of  a  haunted  spot  on  the 
Savoyard.* 

*  A  beautiful  stream  which  mcaudered  above  the  preseut  Russell 


46  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Tliese  reaching  Cadillac's  ear  seemed  to  lend  a 
color  to  his  own  sad  forebodings  of  the  fate  of 
his  friend.  It  was  said  that  at  dawn  every  morn- 
ing faint  sounds  of  a  bell  might  be  heard,  and 
different  parts  of  the  mass  distinctly  made  out, 
and  that  a  voice,  as  mournfully  sweet  as  if  it  had 
Its  source  in  unshed  tears,  would  lioat  on  the  mid- 
night air  chanting  in  Latin  the  Miserere. 

It  was  noticed  that  for  some  time  Churlioa,  the 
Pottawatomie  chief,  sat  before  his  wigwam,  occa- 
sionally muttering  to  himself,  then  drawing  his 
blanket  over  his  head  would  vanish  for  days  in 
the  forest.  The  medicine  men  sadly  shook  their 
heads,  and  pointed  signihcantly  to  their  fore- 
heads, saying  the  great  Churlioa  was  bewitched. 

One  evening  an  Indian  presented  himself  at  the 
gate  of  the  fort  and  asked  to  see  Cadillac.  Ad- 
mitted to  the  Commandant's  presence,  he  stated 
that  Churlioa  had  sent  for  the  chief  of  the  white 
men ;  that  when  the  young  men  returned  from 
hunting  that  day  they  had  found  their  great 
chief  lying  as  one  dead  in  the  forest.  Cadillac 
followed  his  guide  and  soon  stood  by  the  dying 
warrior.  He  confessed  having  murdered  Frere 
Constantin  to  revenge  himself  for  his  daughter's 
death.     He  feared  to  take  his  scalp  as  it  might 

street,  crossed  Congress  and  Larned  streets  and  emptied  into  the 
Detroit  near  the  Michigan  Central  Depot. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  47 

lieti-ay  him,  and  bi-inu'  upon  liis  ti'il)e  tlie  vengeance 
of  the  Freiicli.  He  liad  known  no  peace  since, 
for  the  spirit  of  the  priest  seemed  to  liaunt  him  in 
the  moaning  reeds.  He  heard  liis  voice  in  the 
rustling  leaA'es,  and  a  strange  fascination  led  his 
footstei)s  to  the  spot  where  the  murder  occurred. 
That  the  previous  night  he  wandered  there,  the 
bright  moon  illiiininated  the  forest  and  he  could 
see  as  in  the  daylight,  that  the  tall  form  of  his 
victim  stood  in  his  path,  and  with  outstretched 
arms  besought  him  to  have  his  bones  lie  in  conse- 
crated ground—that  until  then  the  Indian  would 
be  haunted — and  Avitli  the  sound  of  rushing  waters 
in  his  ears  the  chief  knew  no  more  until  he  awoke 
in  his  A\  igwam  and  sent  for  Cadillac. 

The  sad  news  was  soon  known  in  the  colony, 
and  Cadillac  Avent  to  the  spot  indicated  by  the 
Indian.  In  the  hollow  of  a  tree,  covered  by  leaves, 
they  found  the  body  of  Frere  Constantin.  They 
placed  it  on  a  litter  formed  of  the  fragrant  boughs 
of  the  spruce.  Father  de  la  Marchecameto  meet 
the  body,  which  was  borne  by  the  officers  of  the 
fort  followed  by  the  weeping  people.  Tenderly 
they  laid  it  to  rest  in  the  c(msecrated  earth  as  he 
had  so  earnestly  desired.  The  last  of  a  princely 
race  rested  in  the  forest  of  a  new  world.  No 
stately  mausoleum  received  his  remains  ;  no  pom- 
pous tablet  told  his  lineage,  or  recorded  his  deeds. 


48  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

The  pines  chanted  his  requiem,  the  tears  of  his 
flock  were  his  epitaph,  and  the  innocent  hands  of 
children  strewed  his  grave  with  the  wild  flowers 
of  the  woods. 

In  1724,  when  the  new  Ste.  Anne's  Church  was 
built,  Alphonse  de  Tonty  had  the  remains  removed 
from  the  humble  grave  and  placed  in  a  vault 
wliicli  he  had  himself  jjrepared  beneath  the  altar, 
in  the  presence  of  all  the  people  of  the  colony,  to 
whom  Father  Bonaventure  related  the  edifying 
life  and  death  of  the  saintly  priest,  Frere  Con- 
stantin  del  Halle. 


FRANCOIS  AND  BARBE. 


A  Legend  of  the  Habitants. 


TT  WAS  in  the  early  days  of  the  colony  that 
Barbe  Loisel  sat  alone  with  her  little  children 
in  the  rude  settler's  cabin  on  the  banks  of  the 
Detroit.  Without  raged  the  fierce  winter's  blast. 
In  the  huge  fireplace  the  flames  danced  merrily 
above  the  hickory  logs,  and  the  iron  crane  held 
the  steaming  pot-au-feu.  She  was  waiting  for  her 
husband's  return  from  a  distant  expedition, 
whither  he  had  been  sent  by  de  la  Forest,  Com- 
mandant of  Fort  Pontchartrain.  It  was  P''rancois 
Fafard,  dit  Delorme,  a  noted  interpreter.  Theirs 
had  been  among  the  first  marriages  recorded  in 
the  register  of  the  little  church  of  Ste.  Anne,  and 
their  signatures,  with  their  quaint  characters,  are 


50  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

still  to  be  seen  to-day.  She  had  been  the  widow 
of  Francois  Gautier,  Sieur  de  la  Vallee  Ranee,  a 
French  officer  of  high  rank,  who  was  killed  in 
1710.  Her  youth,  beauty  and  unfortunate  condi- 
tion ajDpealed  to  the  manly  heart  of  Delorme,  who 
won  her,  and  his  strong  arm  shielded  her  from 
many  dangers  inseparable  from  a  frontier  life. 
To-night  he  had  promised  to  return,  and  she 
knew  it  could  only  be  an  insurmountable  obstacle 
that  could  cause  him  to  break  his  word. 

The  blood-curdling  howling  of  wolves  were  dole- 
ful symphonies  to  ears  strained  to  catch  the  first 
sound  of  familiar  footsteps.  At  each  weird  note 
of  the  storm  the  little  ones  would  nestle  closer 
to  the  mother,  drawing  in  security  even  from  the 
touch  of  her  garment  such  is  the  wonderful 
witchery  of  maternal  affection.  To  quiet  them 
and  to  lull  the  beating  of  her  own  anxious  heart, 
she  told  them  many  Indian  legends  of  the  past. 

Of  the  great  rivalry  which  once  existed  between 
the  east  and  west  wind.  How  the  east  wind,  being 
victorious,  prevailed  for  seven  years,  until  the 
waters  of  the  rivers  and  lakes  had  risen  to 
such  a  height  as  to  threaten  inundation  to  the 
lodges  and  corn-fields  of  the  tribes  living  on  the 
banks,  when  the  Great  Spirit,  seeing  the  misery 
of  his  children,  and  listening  to  their  petitions, 
recalled  the  west  wind  from  behind  the  moun- 


Legends  of  Le  DHroit.  51 

tains  whither  it  had  been  driven,  and  caused  it 
to  reign  for  seven  years,  thus  forcing  back  the 
waters  into  their  original  channel.  Many  to-day 
notice  the  fact  relative  to  the  waters  of  the  De- 
troit, and  we  find  a  memorandum  of  it  in  the  jour- 
nal of  Capt.  Morris,  of  her  Majesty's  Eighteentli 
Infantry,  who  visited  Detroit  in  1764:  "That  the 
waters  of  these  lakes  rise  for  seven  years  and  fall 
for  seven  years  ;  in  fact  there  is  a  seven  years' 
tide  ;  and  Gen.  Bradstreet  whilst  enramp(Hl  on 
the  shores  of  Lake  Erie,  lost  a  great  many  boats 
and  a  large  quantity  of  provisions  and  baggage 
by  a  sudden  washing  of  the.  waves  against  the 
shore.  What  struck  him  as  a  strange  phenome- 
non was  that  during  the  heaviest  part  of  these 
swells  no  wind  was  perceptible,  a  fact  he  fully 
illustrated  by  placing  soldiers  along  the  banks 
with  lighted  candles,  not  one  going  out."  * 

Then  the  good  Barbe  told  them  how  severely 
the  Great  Manitou  had  punished  disobedient 
children  in  days  gone  by.  He  had  condemned 
them  to  flit  about  in  a  circumscribed  space  as 


♦Considerable  doubt  still  exists  as  to  the  cause  of  the  periodic 
rise  and  fall.  The  floating  ice  from  Lake  Huron  one  spring  so 
blocked  up  the  channel  of  the  Ste.  Claire  River  that  Lake  Ste. 
Claire  and  the  Detroit  River  were  almost  drained.  The  water 
had  receded  from  the  shore  of  Grosse  Pointe  nearly  four  miles. 
A  similar  freak  of  nature  occurred  in  1818.  In  winter  the  ice 
seems  to  have  some  efTect. 


52  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

little  winged  insects  and  guarded  by  a  stern  old 
Manitou.  That  one  day  a  little  brother  of  these 
naughty  children  had  resolved  to  go  in  search  of 
them.  He  started  out  bravely,  walked  all  day^ 
and  towards  night  becoming  exhausted,  fell 
asleep  beneath  the  leaves  of  the  aspen  tree.  The 
spirit  which  is  believed  to  inhabit  it  appeared  to- 
him  and  said  :  ' '  Follow  me  and  I  will  lead  you  to- 
your  brothers  and  sisters."  He  awoke  and  found 
himself  going  up  higher  and  higher  until  he 
reached  cloud  land.  His  guide  then  gave  him  a 
bow  with  a  quiver  full  of  arrows,  and  said : 
"Always  shoot  towards  the  north ;  keep  one 
arrow  to  return  with  ;  as  soon  as  you  reach  water 
throw  some  on  your  brothers  and  sisters  and  they 
will  return  to  their  natural  shape,  and  the  evil 
spirit  will  never  be  able  to  molest  them  again." 
At  each  flight  of  a  magic  arrow  a  long,  solitary* 
streak  of  lightning  appeared  like  a  golden  rent  in. 
the  sky,  through  which  the  child  could  catch, 
glimpses  of  the  beauties  hidden  there.  At  last 
he  saw  where  his  brothers  and  sisters  were  confined 
and,  aiming  straight,  soon  opened  the  door  to  the 
imprisoned  ones,  who  came  through  the  golden 
crevice  in  the  form  of  myriads  of  little  insects- 
which  flitted  around  him  joyfully.  During  his 
delight  he  forgot  the  injunction  of  the  fairy  and 
sent  his  arrow  away  from  the  north,  when  sud- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  53 

denly  a  distant  sound  like  thunder  was  heard  and 
a  fearful  voice  full  of  majesty  and  passion,  said  : 
"  Presumptuous  one,  for  havin<^-  dared  to  invade 
the  kingdom  of  the  Manitou,  you  shall  be  made 
an  example  to  deter  others  from  such  profane 
ambition."'  He  was  turned  into  the  heat  light- 
ning which  is  always  seen  on  the  northern  skies 
on  summer  evenings.  And  the  little  insects,  par- 
alyzed by  that  dreadful  voice,  perished  in  one 
night.  How  frequently  on  a  summer's  night  we 
see  countless  numbers  of  these  insects,  the  famil- 
iar "June  flies"  of  the  Detroit,  hanging  to  the 
lamp-posts,  apparently  dazed  from  some  unknown 
cause,  and  strewing  the  sidewalks  to  be  crushed 
under  foot.  The  Indian  mother  never  whips  her 
child,  but  always  throws  cold  water  in  its  face, 
thus  punishing  it  and  preventing  its  being  changed 
into  an  insect  or  bug. 

In  this  way  the  pioneer's  wife  was  wont  to  hush 
her  little  ones  to  sleep  ;  the  Indian  legends  were 
their  lullabys.  It  was  growing  late,  and  still  De- 
lorme  returned  not.  Barbe  shaded  her  eyes  and 
gazed  out  into  the  night, — darkness  everywhere  ; 
the  voices  of  the  storm  were  whispering  their 
doleful  cadences,  but  it  seemed  as  if  above  these 
she  heard  the  loved  one  calling  hei'.  Tlunking 
her  imagination  Uad  been  overwrouglit  by  tlie  sto- 
ries she  had  related,  she  closed  the  door.     But  an 


54  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

impulse  stronger  than  herself  bade  her  open  it 
again  and  distinctly  came  the  words,  in  a  mourn- 
fully sweet  voice,  ' '  Barbe,  come  to  my  assist- 
ance ! ' '  (Barbe  viens  a  mon  secours. )  The  dogs 
broke  out  in  a  desponding  wail,  as  if  they  felt  the 
passage  of  some  unseen  phantom. 

She  no  longer  hesitated,  the  woman's  sublime 
unselfishness  conquered  the  natural  timidity  of 
her  sex.  Taking  the  musket  from  the  wall,  throw- 
ing the  powder  horn  and  bullet  bag  over  her 
shoulder,  she  boldly  stepped  out  into  the  Thebaid 
darkness.  Bravely  she  went  on,  though  fancy 
sketched  everywhere  frightful  spectres  in  the  trees, 
imagination  draped  phantoms  in  the  swaying 
branches,  to  which  fear  lent  the  finishing  touches. 
The  howling  of  the  wolves  gave  voice  to  the  deso- 
ation  of  the  scene.  There  are  times  when  nature, 
weary  of  her  muteness,  seems  to  lend  tongues  to 
stones,  voices  to  the  reeds  and  to  the  winds,  lan- 
guage to  the  articulate  lamentations  of  the  brute 
creation.  That  voice  which  ever  and  anon  arose 
flute-like  through  the  frightful  orchestral  recital 
of  nature's  woes  was  her  compass.  The  howling 
sobs  of  the  dogs,  so  allied  to  terror  of  the  super- 
natural, warned  her  that  she  had  neared  her  des- 
tination. She  fired  her  musket  upward,  and  by 
the  flash  saw  that  a  giant  tree  had  been  felled  by 
the  strong  arm  of   the  tempest.     Moans  issued 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  55 

from  near,  and  she  soon  learned  that  her  hnsband 
lay  beneath  it.  Powerless  alone,  she  fievv  to  the 
fort,  returning-  shortly  with  several  brave  sol- 
diers who  extricated  Delorme  from  his  perilous 
position.  He  was  tenderly  carried  to  his  home 
and  his  injuries  examined  and  fortunately  pro- 
nounced not  fatal.  His  companion  was  dead,  his 
skull  having  been  fractured.  They  asked  how  it 
was  that  his  voice  had  reached  Barbe.  He  could 
not  explain  save  that  he  had  implored  the  spirit 
of  his  friend  to  send  Barbe  to  him,  as  it  would 
pass  near  her  home,  only  a  short  distance  away. 
And  the  strong  bond  of  friendship  which  even 
death  could  not  sever,  sent  its  message  to  Barbe 
as  it  glided  towards  the  spirit  land. 


VIII 


THE  DEVIL'S  GRIST. 


A  Legend  of  Wind  Mill  Point. 


lORT  Pontchartrain  from  its  ad- 
vantageous position  as  key  to 
the  Upper  Lakes,  was  coveted 
by  the  English,  who  finding- 
all  their  efllorts  futile  whilst  so 
Jealously  guarded  by  France, 
determined  to  wait  until  the 
rigid  watchfulness  of  the  garri- 
son should  relax  by  apparent  security.  In  the 
early  si)ring  of  1712  the  opportunity  seemed  to 
present  itself.  De  la  Forest,  the  successor  of  La 
Mothe  Cadillac,  was  detained  in  Quebec ;  the 
Hurons,  Ottawas  and  other  Indian  allies  of  the 
French  had  not  returned  from  their  winter  hunt- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  57 

ing  in  the  gloomy  recesses  of  the  forest,  wliilst 
the  fort  was  manned  by  a  small  number  of  men 
"witli  Du  Biiisson  as  its  temporary  commander. 

A  band  of  Macoutins  and  Outagamies^''  or  Foxes, 
were  sent  by  the  English,  who  lit  their  camp-lire 
beneath  the  shadow  of  the  fort,  and  pitched  their 
tents  in  seeming  confidence  almost  within  the  range 
of  its  guns.  But  Du  Buisson  was  too  well  versed 
in  the  craftiness  of  the  Indians,  and  too  experienced 
in  their  peculiar  mode  of  warfare  to  be  deceived  by 
this  semblance  of  friendship.  Nor  did  he  neglect 
those  measures  of  prudence  and  forethought  neces- 
sary to  secure  him  against  a  siege.  Under  pretext  of 
fearing  an  attack  from  the  Miamis,  he  ordered  all 
the  grain  to  be  brought  into  the  fort  from  the  store- 
houses, which  were  built  outside  of  the  fortifica- 
tions, and  caused  the  buildings  to  be  destroyed  as  a 
precautionary  measure  against  fire.  He  sent  word 
to  the  Hurons  and  Pottawatomies  that  he  was  in 
danger,  and  to  hasten  to  his  assistance.  Daily  the 
number  of  the  Foxes  seemed  to  increase,  and  see- 
ing that  their  lawless  acts  met  with  no  jninish- 
ment,  they  became  more  and  more  insolent.  The 
little  fort  held  bravely  on,  and  though  a  powerful 
and  merciless  foe  lay  crouching  at  its  gates,  watch- 

*0utagamie8.  The  ancient  spelling  for  Ottawa  was  Outaouas; 
Pottawatomie,  Pouteouatiimie  ;  Iroquois,  Iroquese. 


58  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

ing  its  every  movement,  and  ready  to  pounce  on 
its  prey,  the  garrison  seemed  not  to  notice  it,  and 
went  along  its  daily  routine. 

But  beneath  that  calm  and  indifferent  exterior 
many  were  the  sad  and  weary  hearts  ;  for  all  were 
under  the  influence  of  a  feeling  which  was  calcu- 
lated to  paralyze  the  energies  of  the  boldest,  since, 
unless  succor  should  soon  arrive,  their  loved  lily 
of  France,  crimsoned  by  their  hearts'  blood,  would 
be  replaced  by  the  cross  of  St.  George,  and  their 
reeking  scalps,  hung  at  the  savage's  belt,  would 
record  the  fearful  history  of  Fort  Pontchartrain. 
The  brave  Du  Buisson  would  try  to  rouse  them 
by  his  example,  relating  the  deeds  of  French  sol- 
diers at  other  far  and  desolate  forts,  whilst  the 
gentle  chaplain,  Deniau,  would  tell  them  to  place 
their  trust  in  God,  to  remember  their  distant 
homes  and  their  loved  ones.  A  new  light  would 
come  to  their  eyes,  heavy  from  long,  weary  vigils, 
and  new  courage  steal  into  their  hearts  and  nerve 
their  arms  to  deeds  of  daring. 

At  last  Saguina,  Chief  of  the  Ottawas,  and 
Makisabe,  Chief  of  the  Pottawatomies,  with  their 
dusky  warriors  in  all  the  full  regalia  of  war  and 
the  haughty  waving  crests  of  the  eagle  and 
bright  sashes  of  vermillion,  lit  up  the  landscape, 
while  their  savage  war  whoops  awoke  the  echoes 
of  the  forests,  and  found  a  response  in  the  anxious. 


Legends  of  Le  Detrdit.  5& 

hearts  of  tlie  besieged  garrison.  ]5raii('lies  of  the 
Sacs,^  Illinois,  and  even  Osages  and  Missoiiris, 
had  hastened  to  the  relief  of  the  fort,  borne  along 
by  a  spirit  of  hereditary  warfare  against  the 
restless  Foxes  and  Macoutins,  or  "dwellers  in  the 
prairies,''  who  were  the  roaming  brigands  of  the 
wilds  of  America.  Saguina  presented  himself  at 
the  fort  and  said  to  Du  Buisson  :  ''  Father,  behold 
thy  children  compass  thee  round.  AVe  will,  if 
need  be,  gladly  die  for  our  father,  only  take  care 
of  our  wives  and  our  children,  and  spread  a  little 
grass  over  our  bodies  to  protect  them  against  the 
flies." 

The  Foxes  w^ere  driven  back  and  forced  to  throw 
up  entrenchments  and  were  reduced  to  the  last 
extremity.  Availing  themselves  of  a  stormy  night 
they  crept  away  under  the  friendly  shelter  of  the 
darkness,  and  fortified  themselves  at  Presque  Isle, 
near  Windmill  Point,  eight  miles  distant  from 
Detroit,  and  at  the  entrance  of  Lake  Ste.  Claire. 
When  the  Hurons  and  other  French  allies  discover- 
ed their  flight  they  were  soon  in  pursuit.  For  some 
days  the  Foxes  held  their  fort  but  at  last  fell  be- 
neath the  tomahawk  of  the  besieger.  +  In  vain  Du 
Buisson  endeavored  to  stop  the  fearful  massacre, 
but  his  voice  fell  on  ears  open  only  to  catch  the 

*  Pronounced  Sauks. 

f  More  than  a  tbousaud  Indians  were  killed  in  lliis  battle. 


60  Legends  of  Le  DHroH. 

agonizing  wails  of  the  victims,  the  sweetest  music  to 
the  Indian  warrior.  The  ground  was  saturated  with 
blood,  and  the  dead  as  numerous  as  the  leaves  of 
the  forest;  the  blood-curdling  yells  of  the  conquer- 
ors, mingled  with  the  groans  of  the  dying,  made 
so  fearful  a  picture  that  the  French  soldiers,  ac- 
customed to  war  and  carnage,  turned  away  with 
sickened  hearts.  The  allies  carried  away  their 
dead  and  wounded,  but  left  the  remains  of  the 
conquered  to  the  mercy  of  the  elements  and 
to  become  the  prey  of  the  birds.  Shortly  after- 
wards the  last  remnants  of  the  Fox  nation  came 
to  Presque  Isle  to  ' '  hold  the  feast  of  the  dead ' ' 
and  to  cover  the  bones  of  their  warriors  that 
they  would  no  longer  be  excluded  from  the 
happy  hunting  ground  of  their  ancestors.  To- 
day their  bleached  bones  are  exposed  by  the  ruth- 
less plow,  and  any  one  interested  in  Indian  antiq- 
uities can  have  that  interest  gratified  by  a  visit  to 
Presque  Isle. 

Years  after  the  dreadful  massacre  which  con- 
verted the  beautiful  spot  called  Presque  Isle  into 
the  grave  of  the  Fox  nation,  a  stone  mill  was 
built  there  by  a  French  settler,  who  came  to 
reside  with  his  sister  Josette,  undaunted  by  the 
current  traditions  which  peopled  it  with  the  spir- 
its of  the  departed  warriors.  Jean  was  a  quiet, 
morose  man,  different  from  the  laughing,  careless, 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  61 

pleasure-loving  Canadian, — for  rare  were  his  visits 
to  the  fort,  and  it  was  noticed  that  he  never  lin- 
gered over  his  cidre,  nor  spoke  to  the  smiling,, 
piquante  daughters  of  the  habitants.  Men 
shrugged  their  shoulders,  and  the  fair  damsels- 
pouting  their  pretty  lips  would  cluster  around 
the  coureur  des  bois,  who,  going  everywhere,  was 
the  recognized  gossip  of  the  day,  and  ask  Jhim 
why  Jean  was  so  diiferent  from  others,  while  with 
a  wise  look  on  his  face,  the  coureur  would  reply 
that  Jean  had  met  with  a  disappointment  in  his 
early  youth,  and  had  since  kept  shy  of  the  fair 
sex,  by  a  vow  which  was  then  customary,  for  when 
a  man' s  addresses  were  once  refused  he  seldom 
tried  a  second  time. 

Josette  was  much  older  than  her  brother,  and 
by  dint  of  thrift  and  economy  had  sa\^ed  enough 
to  become  a  half  owner  in  the  mill.  The  favored 
few  who  had  tasted  her  '' croquecignoles"'^  and 
"galette  au  beurre,"  spoke  of  it  as  an  era  in 
their  existence.  Naught  disturbed  the  monotony 
of  their  lives  ;  each  day  was  but  a  repetition.  The 
river  flowed  calmly  on,  the  birds  sang  their  songs — 
for  nature  has  no  moods,  they  belong  to  man  alone. 
At  last  Josette  fell  sick.     Jean  attended  her  as 

*Croquecignoles.     A  sort  of  doughnut.     Galette  au  beurre.    A 
kind  of  bread,, to  which  is  added  milk  and  butter. 


62  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

cai-efully  as  he  could,  and  like  a  prudent  man, 
would  frequently  ask  her  to  whom  she  would  leave 
her  interest  in  the  mill.  Irritable  from  suffering, 
she  became  annoyed  at  his  importunities,  accused 
him  of  taking  care  of  her  for  the  sake  of  obtain- 
ing her  money,  and  told  him  ' '  she  would  leave  it 
to  the  devil."  Jean  tried  in  his  clumsy  fashion, 
to  soothe  her.  He  sent  for  some  of  his  kindred 
to  reason  with  her,  but  they  only  infuriated  her 
the  more,  and  she  solemnly  declared  that  not  one 
of  them  should  have  her  share  in  the  mill,  but 
"  she  would  sooner  leave  it  to  the  devil." 

Josette  recovered,  however,  and  with  that  per- 
versity born  of  stubbornness,  would  not  relent. 
A  few  months  afterwards  she  was  found  dead  in 
her  bed,  having  died  suddenly.  That  same  night, 
whilst  the  candles  threw  their  dim  shadowy  light 
in  the  room  of  the  dead,  a  furious  storm  arose, 
lashing  the  waves  against  the  shore,  the  winds 
howling  fiercely  around  the  point,  the  black 
€louds  chasing  each  other  across  the  lowering- 
skies,  as  lurid  gleams  of  lightning  and  deafening- 
reverberations  of  thunder,  made  all  the  habitants 
shudder  while  they  crossed  themselves  and  told 
their  beads.  All  at  once  there  came  so  tremen- 
duous  a  shock  that  it  seemed  to  swallow  the 
Island.  The  old  stone  mill  was  rent  in  twain.  A 
pungent  smell  of  sulphur  filled  the  air,  and  a 


Legendff  of  Le  Dttrolt.  63 

iiendish  laugh  was  heard  loud  above  the  raging 
storm  from  the  shattered  rnins.  Tlie  arch  litMid 
had  come  to  claim  his  share. 

For  years  afterwards  when  a  northeast  storm 
blew  from  the  lake,  making  night  hideous  l)y  its 
echoing  peals  of  thunder,  it  was  said  that  a  hairy 
figure,  with  a  horned  head  and  forked  tail  tipped 
with  fire,  his  mouth  and  eyes  darting  forth  riid(l\' 
fiame,  could  be  seen  in  the  mill,  trying  to  put 
together  the  ruined  machinery  to  grind  the 
devil's  grist.  And  the  lonely  wayfarer  to  Grosse 
Pointe  would  see  the  marshes  around  Presque 
Isle  all  illuminated  by  fiames,  called  by  the  hab- 
itants feu-follet,"'  which  would  try  to  inveigle 
the  unhappy  traveler  and  bring  him  to  help  grind 
the  devil's  grist. 


*Feu-follet.     Will-o'-the-Wisp,  Jack-o' -Lantern, 


IX 

JEAN  CHiaUOT. 


A  Legrend  of  Charlevoix's  Visit. 

A  GRAND  council  of  all  the  neigliboring  tribes 
of  Le  Detroit  liad  been  convened  early  in  the 
spring  of  1721.  Thither  came  the  witty, 
brave,  but  deceitful  Huron,  the  Athenian  of  the 
American  forest;  the  stern.  Spartan-like  Iroquois, 
the  gaudy  Ottawa,  and  eloquent  Pottawatomie 
resi^lendent  in  swaying  feathers  and  brilliant  in 
dashes  of  vermillion. 

Alphonse  de  Tonty,  Baron  de  Palude,  Com- 
mandant of  Fort  Pontchartrain,  explained  to  the 
red  warriors  the  object  of  the  assembly.  By  his 
side  stood  a  man  of  fine,  imposing  appearance 
whose  dress  revealed  his  "priestly  character,  and 
whose  eager,  observant  eye  glanced  from  object 
to  object  with  that   lightning  flash   of  mental 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  65 

photography  wliich  traiisniUs  to  tlie  pen  witli 
wonderful  I'aitlil'iilness  its  impressions.  He  was 
inti'oduct'd  ns  tlie  bearer  of  messages  and  i)resents 
from  Onoutio  to  his  forest  cliildren.  It  was  the 
distinguished  traveler  and  priest,  Charlevoix, 
whose  writings  are  oiir  chief  authority  as  to  tlie 
ccmdition  of  the  West  in  those  early  days. 

One  edict  in  an  instant  electrified  the  statue- 
like audience,  causing  the  mask  of  immobility 
to  drop  before  the  sweeping  blast  of  kindled 
]\assion  which  broke  forth  in  a  sullen  roar  like  a 
mighty  cataract.  It  was  the  prohibition  of  selling 
liquor  to  them, — a  custom  introduced  by  Cadillac 
and  continued  by  his  successors,  notwithstanding 
the  earnest  protestations  of  the  Jesuits,  who  saw 
in  the  dim  future  the  fatal  calamities  which 
would  befall  the  colony  engendered  by  this  disas- 
trous traffic. 

Amidst  the  deep  grunts  and  murmurs  of  dis- 
sent, Onanguice,  the  great  Pottawatomie  orator 
rose,  and  in  an  impassioned  voice  with  torrents 
of  burning  eloquence,  poured  out  his  indignant 
protest.  "  We  know  that  firewater  does  us  no 
good,  it  steals  our  tongues  and  our  hands.  You 
have  made  us  taste  it,  and  now  we  cannot  do 
without  it.  If  you  refuse  to  give  it  to  us,  we 
shall  get  it  from  your  enemies,  the  English,''' 
Drawing  his  blanket  around  him  he  haughtily 


66  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

stepped  out  of  the  council,  followed  by  all  tlie 
warriors,  who  filed  along  the  narrow  trail  in 
silence  to  the  Pottawatomie  village,  two  miles 
below  the  fort. 

De  Tonty  was  annoyed  and  thought  the  meas- 
ure unwise,  and  still  more  for  personal  reasons, 
as,  if  tradition  be  true,  he  was  not  averse  to 
exchange  a  gill  of  brandy  for  a  pound  of  beaver 
skins,  for  then  every  wdiite  man's  hand  weighed 
a  pound."  De  Tonty  called  one  of  the  traders 
and  told  him  in  confidence  to  take  a  cask  of 
brandy  to  the  Pottawatomie  village,  to  secure 
thus  the  valuable  furs  which  the  Indians  were 
known  to  have  taken  during  their  winter  hunt- 
ing, and  which  owing  to  the  edict  would  pass 
into  the  hands  of  the  English ;  that  lie  (De 
Tonty)  would  protect  the  trader  (Jean  Clii(iuot) 
from  all  harm — the  proceeds  to  be  divided  be- 
tween them.  Jean  started  off.  Arriving  at  the 
village  he  found  the  old  sachems  in  council,  and 
the  younger  ones  roaming  about  idle.  To  these 
he  proijosed  the  game  of  bowl,t  the  stakes  being- 
measures  of  brandy  which  he  exchanged  for 
their  furs.     The  offer  was  eagerly  accepted,  and 

*It  was  a  custom  then  among  traders  to  put  their  hands  on  the 
scale  in  weighing  furs,  thus  pressing  it  down,  uubelinown  to  the 
Indian.  Consequently  tlie  term  "each  white  man's  hand  weighed 
a  pound." 

f  Bowl.     An  Indian  gambling  game- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  GT 

each  Indian  rushed  to  his  wigwam  to  bring  his 
pelletries,  until  there  rose  a  pile  which  made 
Jean's  eyes  ^i;-listeii  and  his  imagination  swim  over 
with  the  prcjbabilities  which  tlie  sale  of  these  sug- 
gested. 

The  Indians  are  inveterate  gamblers  and  will 
stake  anything  they  possess  with  the  most  sub- 
lime recklessness.  Human  nature  is  in  every 
age  the  same  where  trafiic  is  concerned,  though 
culture  and  education  apparently  refine  the  meth- 
od and  soften  the  terms — but  the  underlying  prin- 
ciple remains.  The  shrewd  trader  of  those  days 
understood  as  well  as  the  present  one,  the  art  of 
playing  skillfully  on  the  foibles  of  others  and 
making  of  them  a  source  of  revenue. 

Sides  were  chosen  and  the  air  rang  with  the 
wild,  guttural  sounds  of  the  savages  as  the  bowl 
touched  the  ground  and  the  little,  painted  pieces 
of  bone  were  tossed  in  the  air.  The  seductive- 
ness of  the  game  penetrated  into  the  grave  coun- 
cil of  the  sachems  and  drew  them  into  its  fasci- 
nating vortex. 

Jean's  gains  in  furs  steadily  increased,  and  so 
did  the  Indians'  desire  to  obtain  the  coveted 
liquor,  which  was  drunk  as  fast  as  won.  Towards 
night  the  pandemonium  of  giddy  excitement 
subsided,  and  the  i)]ayers  lay  strewn  about  in 
helpless  intoxication.     Jean  strapped  his  heavy 


68  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

pile  of  skins  to  his  back  and  slowly  wended  his 
way  towards  the  fort.  It  was  a  glorious  evening. 
Drops  of  moonlight  fell  through  the  budding 
foliage  of  the  trees  and  glistened  like  scattered 
gems  in  the  grass.  Jean  was  in  that  happy  frame 
of  mind  which  a  good  bargain  concluded  by  a 
generous  draught  of  eau  de  vie  is  apt  to  produce, 
and  thought  how  bright  and  attractive  the  world 
looked  to  him  in  contrast  withthe  morning,  when 
he  first  heard  the  edict.  Whether  he  looked  dif- 
ferent to  the  world  was  a  question  Jean  did  not 
ask  himself. 

Suddenly  his  meditations  were  rudely  broken 
by  a  number  of  ' '  Dames  Blanches,' '  *  who  w^ere 
dancing  around  an  oak  tree,  and  who,  as  soon  as 
they  saw  Jean,  caught  hold  of  him  and  made 
him  dance  until  he  was  ready  to  drop  with  ex- 
haustion. He  who  a  few  moments  before  felt  as 
if  he  trod  on  air  and  walked  like  a  god  on  the 
clouds,  now  thought  his  feet  imprisoned  in  irons. 
In  vain  he  pleaded  to  be  let  alone ;  wild  laughter 
was  his  only  answer.  His  pack  fell  off,  and  with 
swift  hands  the  fairies  had  each  secured  one  of. 
his  valuable  furs.  The  physical  fatigues  of  the 
man  were  forgotten  in  the  natural  instincts  of 

*  Literally  "  White  Ladies,"  a  term  used  to  designate  the  little 
fairies  which  were  then  implicitly ^believed  in  by  many  of  tlio 
superstitious  habitants. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  69 

the  trader,  and  jiinipiiiii-  uj)  .lean  pursued  tlie 
"Dames  Blanches."  Round  and  round  they 
Hew  until  .lean  ,<2:rew  dizzj^  and  then  just  as  he 
would  think  he  had  secured  his  j^rize  the  fairy 
would  vanish  in  the  earth,  leaving  a  si)ring  of 
clear  water  in  which  he  could  hear  the  mocking 
laughter  of  his  tormentor.  Almost  distracted 
and  aching  in  every  bone,  he  picked  up  the  few 
remaining  furs  which  had  escaped  the  clutches  of 
the  fairy  robbers  and  again  started  on  his  home- 
ward journey. 

He  was  obliged  to  pass  near  the  Sand  Hills, '• 
which  were  used  by  the  Indians  as  a  burying- 
ground.  On  several  mounds  he  noticed  a  num- 
ber of  caged  birds, f  which  fluttering  against  their 
bars,  made  a  weird  sound  that  sent  a  doleful 
message  to  Jean's  heart  and  a  cold  chill  down 
his  back,  for  he  was  not  as  brave  as  an  hour 
before.  Just  as  he  was  urging  his  weary,  bat- 
tered feet  to  the  utmost,  he  heard  a  wild,  demoni- 
acal shriek,  and  looking  up  cautiously  saw  on  a 
branch  of  a  tree  a  Loup  Garou  who  gave  him  a 


♦This  property  was  afterwards  deeded  by  the  Pottawatomie 
chiefs  to  Kobert  Navarre,  Jr. 

f  Wlu'ii  an  Indian  maiden  died  tlu'  Indians  iniprisonetl  a  young 
bird  until  it  first  began  to  sing,  then  loading  it  with  kisses  and 
caresses  they  loosed  its  bonds  over  the  grave,  in  the  belief  that  it 
would  not  fold  its  wings  until  it  Hew  to  the  spirit  land  and  deliv- 
ered its  precious  burden. 


70  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

malicious  leer  and  jumped  so  suddenly  on  Jean's 
back  that  both  rolled  down  the  sand  hill.  Jean's 
blouse  flew  open  and  out  came  his  beads  which 
he  always  carried  '■'■en  cas.'''''^ 

When  the  trader  got  up  and  rubbed  his  eyes  and 
straightened  his  bruised  limbs  he  looked  about  in 
vain  for  his  foe,  then  ran  breathlessly  to  the  fort 
where  he  related  his  strange  adventures,  but  was 
met  with  smiles  of  incredulity. 

Early  next  morning  he  started  with  several 
skeptical  companions  for  the  scenes  of  the  night 
before.  To  their  amazement  the  grass  seemed 
scorched  around  the  oak  tree  and  everywhere 
little  fountains  were  bubbling  forth  their  strange 
tale.  Where  the  Loup  Garou  had  disappeared  a 
sulphur  spring  had  sprung  up.  The  place  was 
ever  afterwards  called  by  the  French  "'La  Belle 
Fontaine,"  by  the  English,  Springwells,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  tradition  of  an  old  habitant,  ' '  La 
Belle  Fontaine  water  gives  complexion  brilliante, 
wile  ze  sulphur  spring  cure  ze  internal  com- 
plaint." 


*  In  case  of  necessity.     A  French  expression. 


X 


THE  WIDOW'S  CURSE. 


T. 


A  Legrend  of  the  old  Pear  Trees. 

T  WAS  Mardi  (xras  evening  in  1785. 
A  furious  storm  raged  outside,  the 
wind  liowled  tlirougli  the  leafless 
trees,  and  the  restless  waters  of  Lake 
8te.  Claire  were  fast  imprisoned  in  ice. 
But  there  were  sounds  of  mei-riment 
in  tlie  house  of  Charles  Chauvin.  It  was  built  of 
hewn  logs  and  fronted  the  lake,  where  tlie  new 
water  works  now  stand.  The  liglits  from  the 
windows  were  like  bright  beams  of  promise  in  that 
waste  of  darkness.  A  party  was  gathered  in  la 
salle  a  manger  (dining-room)  to  celebrate  Shrove 
Tuesday.  Tlie  floor  was  partly  covered  witli  a 
rag  carpet,  whose  bright  tints  lent  a  glow  of 
warmtli  to  the  room.     The  furniture  was  covered 


72  '  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

in  cliintz  and  the  legs  carved  in  grotesque  effigies 
of  birds,  the  classifying  of  which  would  have 
driven  Cuvier  to  despair.  A  cuplioard  reaching 
to  the  ceiling  displayed  rows  of  blue  china,  of  a 
thickness  which  would  now  alleviate  ihe  fear  of 
many  house-keepers  and  defy  the  rough  handling 
of  the  modern  servant. 

Before  an  open  fireplace  with  its  crackling,  hick- 
ory log,  stood  three  girls,  each  armed  with  a  long- 
handled  frying  pan  and  trying  to  toss  pancakes 
— "  virez  les  crepes  " — a  custom  still  x^reserved  in 
many  of  the  old  French  families.  Near  by  were 
several  who  poured  in  the  batter  as  fast  as  the  pans 
were  emptied,  whilst  la  dame  Chauvin  placed 
powdered  maple  sugar  between  the  cakes  and  jiiled 
them  up  in  pyramid  form.  The  art  consisted  in 
tossing  the  light  cake  as  high  as  possible  while 
turning  it.  It  was  accomj)lished  by  a  dexterous 
motion  of  the  hand,  and  merry  were  the  peals  of 
laughter  which  greeted  the  unfortunate  one  whose 
cake  fell  on  the  glowing  coals. 

The  table  was  set  with  savory  meats,  and  all  ate 
with  a  relish  inspired  by  the  morrow  which  would 
be  Ash  Wednesday,  for  Lent  then  was  rigidly 
kept.  The  forfeits  were  redeemed  all  save  la  dame 
Chauvin' s,  who  only  was  released  when  she  iDrom- 
ised  to  tell  them  a  conte  (story).  "  What  shall  it 
be  ? "  she  said.    "Oh tell  us,  grandmere,  about  the 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  73 

old  mill  oil  Connor's  Creek  and  the  twelve  pear 
trees  in  our  orcliard,"  answered  the  briglit-eyed 
Susanne,  a  little  tliiu<^-  of  twelve. 

Caressing  gently  the  dariv  liniiol.'  the  girl,  the 
old  dame  began : 

Just  such  ;i  niglit  as  tliis,  many  years  ago,  Felix 
Robert  brouglit  his  young  wil'e  to  live  in  the  mill 
he  had  just  bnilt  near  Pont  Rouge  (Red  Bridge) 
on  Connor's  Creek.  His  brother  Louis  accompa- 
nied them.  It  was  impossible  to  tind  a  greater 
contrast.  Felix  was  sliort,  with  laughing  eyes 
and  a  pleasant  word  for  everyone.  He  loved  a 
ball  or  a  race  on  the  ice  with  that  true  zest  of  en- 
joyment which  the  old  habitants  possessed  in  so 
eminent  a  degree.  Louis  was  tall  and  spare,  with 
a  yellow,  lean  face,  silent  and  reserved  in  manner. 
Sehlom  did  he  enter  in  the  simple  pleasures  of 
those  days.  His  presence  seemed  like  a  pall, 
and  the  old  habitant  would  say :  "  C'est  un  oiseau 
d'une  mauvaise  augure  "  (he  is  a  ])ir(l  of  ill  omen). 
The  mill  prospered, — they  npi)eare(l  to  live  in  har- 
mony ;  children  gathered  around  the  hearth,  but 
the  morose  Louis  })aid  little  heed  to  them,  for  his 
two  cows  seemed  to  be  the  only  things  for  which 
he  entertained  affection. 

Felix  was  fatally  iujiiivd  by  a  failing  tree  and 
expired  soon  aftei-,  though  not  before  he  had 
made   Louis  ])i()inise  to  watch  o\er  his  wife  and 


74  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

children,  and  to  set  aside  for  them  a  half  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  mil]. 

After  his  brother  s  death  Louis  grew  more  and 
more  absorbed  in  himself  ;  the  children  kept  out 
of  his  way  as  if  by  instinct,  hushing  their  infan- 
tile prattle  when  his  shadow  fell  across  the  thresh- 
old ;  and  he  develoj^ed  the  true  traits  of  a  miser. 
Food  was  measured  for  the  home  consumption, 
and  he  looked  scrupulously  after  every  detail  of 
the  simple  menage.  In  vain  the  widow  pleaded 
she  was  starving.  The  inflexible  man  would  not 
listen.  He  would  not  allow  them  out  of  his  sight, 
and  no  complaint  could  she  make,  for  he  gave  her 
no  opportunity  of  conversing  with  any  one,  and 
few  came  to  the  mill  except  on  business,  and  none 
cared  to  loiter. 

One  by  one  the  children  drooped  and  were  laid 
to  rest.  The  mother  implored  in  vain  more  food 
and  warmer  clothing,  and  soon  her  frail  form  told 
that  her  days  were  numbered.  One  day,  escap- 
ing the  severe  vigilance  of  her  stern  guardian,  she 
wandered  off  towal^ds  the  pear  trees,  the  stately 
survivors  of  the  age  of  Louis  XIV.,  which,  proud 
in  their  decay,  leave  no  successors,  as  if  unwilling 
to  allow  their  race  to  be  perpetuated  in  new  soil. 
Her  absence  was  discovered,  and  fearing  she 
might  betray  his  miserly  habits  to  his  neighbors, 
Louis  came  to  lead  her  back  quickly  to  the  house 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  '75 

sayiiiiilie  could  not  afford  to  feed  lazy  people  ;  lie 
had  supp()ir«'(l  her  long  enough.  It  was  time  to 
work. 

Raising  her  hands  to  Heaven  she  cried  out : 
"  Woe,  woe  is  my  lot.  I  call  these  twelve  trees, 
which  Jire  named  after  the  Apostles,  to  witness 
my  wrongs.  May  your  property  be  swept  away, 
your  cows  refuse  to  give  milk,  and  you  yourself 
be  haunted  by  me  and  by  my  children.  You  have 
defrauded  the  widow  and  the  orphan  ;  you  have 
starved  them  to  death  and  broken  a  solemn  prom- 
ise to  the  dead.  The  pear  tree  under  which  you 
stand  will  be  shunned  by  its  comrades,  and  like 
Judas,  stand  alone,  for  the  curse  of  the  widow 
rested  on  an  object  beneath  it." 

Shortly  afterwards  she  died.  The  habitants 
were  indignant,  and  avoided  Louis  more  than 
ever.  Tt  was  soon  rumored  that  strange  things 
were  going  on  at  the  mill.  Weird  sounds  were 
heard  on  Sunday  nights  especially,  and  one  with 
more  courage  or  curiosity  than  the  others  peeped 
through  the  cracks  of  the  mill  and  saw  a  great 
number  of  bhick  cats,  "all  dancing  like  Chris- 
tians," he  said,  wliilst  the  tiin*^  was  beaten  by 
phantom  hands  which  s^m  to  float  about  in  the 
air.  The  people  shook  their  heads  mysteriously, 
saying  that  it  was  "  le-Sabbat  des  chats"*  (the 

*Cats  were  believed  to  be  in  league  with  the  devil,  who  frequent- 


76  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

cat's  Sabbat)  and  hinted  at  secret  dealings  with 
the  evil  one.  The  cows  sickened  and  died,  the 
habitants  refused  to  bring  their  corn  to  the  grist 
for  they  heard  such  piteous  wails  and  saw  there 
cadaverous,  ghostly  hands  as  if  imploring  for 
food.  The  old  pear  tree  was  found  one  morning 
mysteriously  separated  from  its  companions  on 
the  north  side  and  its  withered  leaves  and  droop- 
ing boughs  spoke  of  some  blight  which  had  rob- 
bed it  of  its  proud  and  stately  beauty.*  . 

Louis  saw  all  this  and  his  land  passed  into  the 
hands  of  strangers.  He  left,  no  one  ever  hearing 
again  of  liim,  and  with  him  died  the  Widow's 
Curse. 


ly  borrowed  the  form  of  a  black  cat.  Some  believe  that  the  male 
cat  has  the  power  of  assisting  at  the  "  Sabbat,"  to  prevent  which 
they  frequently  cut  a  piece  off  the  tail  or  ear  (C.  Vaugeors,  His- 
toire  des  Antiquities  de  la  Ville  de  I'Aigle,  p.  586). 

*Eleven  of  the  twelve  apostles  (pear  trees)  are  still  standing  (1883) 
near  the  Water  "Works  just  below  Connor's  (formerly  Tremble's) 
Creek. 


XI 

LE  LUTIN. 


A  Legend  of  the  Goblin  Horseman. 

N  1796,  when  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  iirst  waved 
ill  proud  exultation  over 
the  haughty  standard  of 
P'.iigland,  there  lived  on 
the  l):mksol'  tlie  l)eanti- 
I'ul  Lake  Sainte  Claire, 
at  Grosse  Pointe,  an  old 
French  habitant  named  Jean  Marie  Tetit,  dit  le 
merveilleux. 

It  was  a  noticeable  custom  in  those  early  days 
to  give  each  other  soubriquets,  and  with  that 
wonderful  perceptiveness  of  the  French  which 
almost  amounts  to  a  sixth  sense,  the  nickname 
would  be  a  happy  hit  at  some  marked  character- 


78  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

istic.  To-day  some  of  the  descendants  of  these 
old  families  are  known  only  by  the  soubriquet ; 
other  branches  still  bear  the  original  name,  but 
in  several  cases  the  old  name  has  entirely  dis- 
appeared. 

Jean  Marie  was  a  famous  raconteur,  equaling 
Vernon,  of  the  Long  Bow\  On  autumn  after- 
noons the  habitants  would  congregate  at  his 
house,  and  only  when  the  shadows  had  length- 
ened into  twilight  and  the  church  bell  pealed 
the  evening  hour,  would  the  spell-bound  listeners 
slowly  come  back  to  the  realities  of  life  and  give 
a  thought  to  the  impatient  housewife  and  waiting 
meal.  Perhaps  it  was  the  soft  beauty  of  the 
scene,  lit  up  by  the  hazy,  luminous  atmosphere 
peculiar  to  Indian  summer  which  gave  a  more 
brilliant  hue  to  the  glowing  forest  trees,  a  rosy 
tint  to  the  placid  waters  of  the  lake,  a  touch  of 
picturesqueness  to  the  group  of  habitants,  with 
their  eager,  expectant  faces,  which  lent  its  seduc- 
tive charm  to  Jean  Marie's  imagination.  Quietly 
taking  a  few  whiffs  from  his  loved  pipe  filled 
with  killikanick  (a  weed  used  by  the  Indians  in 
the  absence  of  tobacco,  and  from  which  a  fancy 
brand  of  Virginia  tobacco  takes  its  name),  and 
in  the  midst  of  that  hushed  silence  which  is 
in  itself  an  eloquent  tribute  to  the  raconteur's 
powers,  he  would  relate  the  wonderful  stories  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  TO 

"  L<'     Liiliii,"    and    •' Lc     Loiip    (Turoii ''    (wclir- 
woll'i;   I  he  liist  of  which  is  as  i'oUows  : 

.lacciues  i/Ks})('ran('e,  or.hico,  as  he  was  raiiiil- 
iarly  called  "  foi-  short/'  on  the  death  of  liis  father 
found  hiniscir  s(»h>  ]tr()j)i'i<'t()r  ol"  a  fiire  "con- 
cession'' at  Grosse  Pointe.  The  soil  was  i-ieh, 
the  arpents  numerous,  and  all  bespoke  goodly 
promise  to  the  industrious  farmer.  Jaco  was  not 
lazy,  but  somehow  his  elforts  did  not  meet  with 
the  success  which  crowned  his  neii'li})ors.  His 
tastes  ran  towards  hoi-ses,  and  he  became  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  horst^  breeders  in  that  section 
of  the  counti-y,  and  was  referred  to  as  an  oracle 
on  the  subject.  lie  was  in  fact  the  Tom  Ochiltree 
of  his  day.  It  was  in  the  winter  races  on  the  ice 
along  the  lake  shore  and  Grand  Marais  that  Jaco 
gained  his  greatest  triumph.  Perched  on  the 
high  seat  of  his  cariole,  well  ])rotected  from  the 
rude  blasts  by  his  Indian-blanket  coat  with  its 
deep  black  stripe,  the  hood  of  which  was  drawn 
tightly  over  his  head,  a  wide  red  sash  encircling 
his  waist,  his  hands  coven^T  with  mole-skin  gloves, 
his  ringing  voice  covdd  be  heard  loud  above  the 
others  as  he  urged  his  little  Canadian  pony  on : 
"Avance  done  Caribou!  avance  Lambreurl" 
With  lightning  speed  he  ti<^w,  and  ere  the  sound 
of  his  voice  had  died  away  only  a  tiny  speck  on 
the  ice  marked  the  steed  and  its  driver.     Arriv- 


80  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

ing  at  the  Hotel  of  the  Grand  Marais,  under  the 
genial  influence  of  the  "liqueur de peche "  (peach 
brandy)  and  the  subtle  incense  of  flattery,  in  his 
enthusiasm  he  would  claim  for  his  pony  a  speed 
which  even  in  these  days  of  St.  Julien  and  Maud 
S.,  with  their  unprecedented  records,  would  be 
considered  marvelous,  "  clearing  at  abound,"  he 
said,  "  cracks  in  the  ice  twenty  feet  wide." 

We  must  acknowledge  that  the  present  Cana- 
dian pony  is  a  degenerate  scion  of  a  fine  stock, 
for  they  are  mostly  descended  from  a  cross 
between  a  noble  stallion,  caught  wild  on  the 
prairies  of  Mexico,  the  breed  half  Arabian  and 
Spanish,  (having  been  introduced  there  by  Her- 
nando Cortes  in  his  conquest  of  that  country  in 
1520  and  brought  here  by  the  Indians  in  1750,) 
and  a  splendid  Norman  mare,  brought  to  this 
country  by  Gen.  Braddock  and  taken  from  him 
at  his  defeat  near  Fort  Duquesne  (Pittsburgh). 
Ten  years  later  Capt.  Morris,  of  his  Majesty's 
Seventeenth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  who  visited 
the  country  of  the  Illinois  under  the  guidance  of 
Jacques  Godfroy  in  1764,  mentions  in  his  journal 
seeing  this  handsome  milk-white  horse  still  in 
possession  of  the  Indians. 

Jaco  could  be  seen  every  day  driving  his  favor- 
ite along  the  lake  shore,  and  L' Eclair  (light- 
ning),   as  he   called    her,    carried   herself   as   if 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  81 

conscious  of  the  jidmiiation  which  slie  created. 

One  night,  witli  tlie  rest  of  tlie  habitants,  Jaco 
went  to  Antoine  GrilTard\s,  whose  magic  violin, 
could  compel  the  most  unwilling  feet  to  chase 
the  riving  hours.  At  dawn,  going  to  the  stable 
to  harness  L'  l^clair,  for  he  had  a  long  drive,  he 
found  her  all  covered  with  foam,  her  mane  all 
tangled  with  burrs.  Annoyed  that  anyone  should 
have  played  him  such  a  trick,  but  not  wishing  to 
express  any  suspicion  for  fear  of  making  a 
disturbance,  Jaco  like  a  prudent  man  held  his 
tongue,  but  determined  that  when  he  came  to 
another  ball,  a  less  valuable  horse  would  be  his 
companion.  But  the  next  morning,  and  the  next, 
he  found  his  favorite  with  dejected  head,  tired 
and  wearied  as  if  she  liad  been  driven  hard  all 
night.  He  put  a  padlock  on  his  barn  door,  strewed 
ashes  about  to  discover  the  footsteps,  yet  to  his 
great  amazement  he  found  L' Eclair  in  the  same 
lamentable  plight,  the  padlock  intact  and  no  im- 
press on  the  ashes. 

At  length  Jaco,  much  perplexed,  went  to  con- 
sult one  of  Ms  great  cronies  who  listened  atten- 
tively to  his  story,  and  at  its  conclusion,  gazing 
around  cautiously  as  if  afraid  of  being  overheard, 
whispered  hurriedly,  "C'est  Le  Lutin  qui  la 
soigne,"  (it  is  the  goblin  who  takes  care  of  her). 

Le  Lutin  was  a  dreaded   monster  which  had 


82  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

haunted  the  Pointe  many  years  before,  and  was 
supposed,  when  for  some  reason  he  took  a  dislike 
to  an  habitant,  to  tantalize  him  by  riding  his  fin- 
est horses  by  night.  Jaco  was  not  credulous.  He 
shook  his  head  smilingly  and  said  it  was  the 
work  of  some  enemy  jealous  of  L' Eclair.  He 
had  heard  of  "La  bete  a  Cornes,"  or  horned 
beast,  as  some  called  Le  Lutin,  but  only  thought 
of  it  as  one  of  the  stories  his  mother  would 
relate  to  him  in  his  infancy  as  she  rocked  him  to 
sleep.  His  friend  told  him  he  should  brand  his 
horses  with  a  cross,  or  put  an  amulet  or  charm 
^bout  their  necks.  Jaco  returned  home  sad  and 
dejected.  He  had  not  met  with  the  counsel  he 
wished,  and  determined  to  find  out  for  himself 
who  this  enemy  was. 

One  bright  moonlight  night  he  stationed  him- 
self at  his  window  where  he  could  command  a 
good  view  of  his  barn  without  being  seen  himself, 
and  armed  with  his  trusty  rifle,  waited  for  his 
foe.  Not  a  sound  disturbed  the  night  air  save 
the  low  murmuring  of  the  waters  against  the 
beach,  the  lone  cry  of  the  whip-poor-will,  or  the 
•occasional  plash  of  some  restless  bullfrog.  All 
nature  seemed  to  slumber.  Suddenly  a  sound 
like  the  troubled  neighing  of.  a  horse  fell  on  his 
strained  ear,  and  keeping  his  eyes  on  the  barn 
doors,    he   saw   them    noiselessly   open   and   his 


Legench  of  Le  Detroit.  83 

fuvoi'ite  L' Kclair,  tronibling  like  a  leaf,  fly  out. 
Oil  her  back  was  a  feaiiul  apparition.  Jaeo  was 
no  coward,  but  lie  felt  his  courage  oozing  out  at 
his  knees,  cold  chills  chasing  each  other  down 
his  back,  and  great  beads  of  perspiration  stand- 
ing on  his  lorehead.  The  monster  resembled  a 
baboon,  witli  a  liornt'd  head,  a  skin  of  bristling 
black  hair,  brilliant,  restless  eyes,  and  a  devilish 
leer  on  its  face.  It  clutched  with  one  hand  L'- 
Kclair's  mane,  and  with  the  other  belabored  her 
with  a  stick  of  the  thorn  bush,  for  the  fiend  rode 
without  saddle  or  bridle. 

Jaco  recognized  in  an  instant  that  his  rifle  was 
powerless  against  such  a  foe,  and  like  a  bright 
inspiration  came  to  him  the  old  mode  used  to 
exorcise  a  demon  ;  he  seized  the  holy  water  font, 
one  of  which  hung  at  the  head  of  every  good 
habitant's  bed,  and  threw  it  and  its  contents 
down  upon  the  monster  as  he  passed  beneath  tlm 
window.  A  demoniacal  shriek  rent  the  air,  the 
horse  snorted,  reared,  and  notwithstanding  the 
efforts  of  the  fiend,  plunged  into  the  chilly  waters 
of  th(^  lake.  Jaco  rushed  in  pursuit,  but  when 
he  arrived  at  the  beach,  only  the  circling  eddies 
marked  the  spot  where  the  affrighted  animal  and 
its  fiendish  rider  had  disappeared.  Firing  his 
riffe  to  awaken  his  neighbors,  who.  unaccustomed 
to  such  siiiiials,  riislied  to  liiid  out  wliat  was  the 


84:  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

matter,  Jaco  related  his  adventure.  His  disor- 
dered appearance,  the  absence  of  the  liorse,  the 
broken  fragments  of  the  holy  water  font,  and  the 
thorn-bush  stick  dropped  by  the  goblin,  confirmed 
his  tale.  Like  a  judicious  man  he  marked  all  hi& 
horses  thereafter  with  a  cross  fearing  the  return 
of  Le  Lutin.*  And  to  this  day  the  Grosse  Pointe 
habitants  retain  this  custom,  and  whenever  in 
the  early  morn  on  going  to  the  barn  they  find^a 
favorite  horse  reeking  with  sweat  and  foam,  and 
with  mane  all  tangled  as  if  by  the  claws  of  a 
beast,  they  shake  their  heads  mysteriously  and 
say  that  it  is  Le  Lutin  come  again. 

*  Aubrey  in  his  ' '  Miscellanies  "  mentions  tlie  practice  for  pre- 
venting nightmare  in  horses,  "to  hang  in  a  string  a  flint  with  a 
hole  in  it,  by  the  manger;  but  best  of  all  they  say  hung  about 
their  necks,  and  a  flint  will  do  it  that  hath  not  a  hole  in  it.  It  is 
to  prevent  the  nightmare,  viz:  the  hag  from  riding  their  horses 
that  will  sometimes  sweat  all  night.  The  flint  thus  hung  does- 
hinder  it."     Herrick  says: 

"Hang  up  hooks  and  shears  to  scare 

Hence  the  hag  that  rides  the  mare 

Till  they  be  all  over  wet 

With  the  mire  and  the  sweat, 

Tills  observed,  the  manes  shall  be 

Of  your  horses,  ail  knot  free." 


XII 

THE  WARRIOR'S   LOVE. 


A  Legend  of  Bois  Blanc. 


HE  adniinible  site  of  Bois  Blanc  on  the 
Canjidian  side  of  tlie  month  of  the  De- 
troit River,  commanding-  the  main  chan- 
nel, attracted  in  the  early  days  of  the 
■^  colony,  the  eye  of  the  experienced  sol- 
dier. It  was  for  a  long  time  a  mooted  qnestion 
whether  Fort  Pontchartrain  would  remain  at 
Detroit  or  be  removed  to  this  island.  It  received 
its  name  from  a  superb  forest  of  white  wood,  but 
it  was  shorn  of  its  crown  of  glory  by  an  act  of 
vandalism  during  that  bjlef  ]ianic  of  patriotism 
in  18:^7,  called  by  the  self-styled  "patriots''  Tiie 
Patriot  War.  They  felled  these  glorious  giant 
trees  for  purposes  of  military  observation.  Here 
Tecumseh  and  his  warriors  in  18i:?  awaited  the 


86  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

issue  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  and  as  soon  as- 
tlie  fatal  import  to  the  English  was  known,  the 
chief  crossed  over  to  Maiden,  then  garrisoned  by 
Proctor.  To  his  amazement  he  found  the  British 
commander  making  hurried  preparations  to  evac- 
uate without  the  faintest  show  of  resistance. 
Forced  to  passive  obedience  by  circumstances  he 
could  not  crush  and  despising  the  cowardice  of 
the  act,  Tecumseh  begged  Proctor  to  leave  him 
arms  and  ammunition,  that  he  and  his  braves 
might  defend  the  fort  against  the  victorious 
Americans.  The  British  general's  refusal  to  do 
so  called  forth  the  stinging  and  contemp)tuous. 
remark  from  the  outraged  savage,  ' '  that  he  (Proc- 
tor) was  like  a  fat  cur  sneaking  away  with  his 
tail  between  his  legs,  after  making  a  great  show 
of  courage." 

After  Charlevoix's  visit  in  1722  to  these  re- 
gions, a  Huron  mission  was  established  on  this 
island  under  the  direction  of  Fathers  Potier  and 
de  la  Richardie.  Several  hundred  of  the  tribe 
came,  and  soon  their  tents  blossomed  like  wild 
flowers  through  the  woods.  The  joyous  laughter 
of  children  sent  its  warm,  exhilarating  tones  over 
the  waters.  The  sweet  sound  of  the  bell  from 
the  rude,  birchen  chapel  bade  the  echoes  of  the 
forest  awake  and  respond  gladly  to  the  message 
of    redemption.      But    the    English   with   their 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  87 

eager  desire  to  extend  tlicii-  trade  to  tlie  West, 
sowed  seeds  of  dissension  amon,<^  tlie  Indians  and 
poisoned  tlieir  hearts  a;j;ainst  the  Prencli.  In 
1747  a  general  nprising  o!  all  the  tribes  took 
place,  and  Bois  Blanc  became  the  theatre  of  a 
conspiracy  to  massacre  the  French  at  Fort  Pont- 
chartrain.  It  was  betrayed  to  De  Longueil,  the 
Commandant,  who  used  wise  and  precantionary 
measures  wliich  not  only  stemmed  the  tide  of 
savage  mutiny,  l)ut  restored  peace  and  order. 
Still  it  was  considered  more  prudent  to  remove 
the  Huron  mission  nearer  the  fort.  Bois  Blanc 
was  abandoned,  and  the  settlement  located  at 
Sandwich,  tlie  present  church  there  being  the 
successor  of  the  one  built  by  Father  Potier. 

One  incident  of  early  days  invests  this  island 
with  romantic  interest,  where  the  noble  heart  of 
a  Huron  chief  became  the  sacrifice  of  a  glorious 
self-devotion.  Many  years  have  passed  since  that 
act,  but  it  is  still  handed  down  from  generation 
to  generation.  White  Fawn  was  the  daughter 
of  a  celebrated  Huron  brave  wlio  had  accom- 
panied DeBellestre  to  Montreal  to  see  the  Gov- 
ernor, and  whilst  there  had  died.  Her  mother 
who  belonged  to  the  pale-face,  had  faded  away 
many  years  before.  Tiie  maiden  was  the  pride 
of  tlie  tribe,  and  her  admirers,  as  numerous  as 
the  leaves  of  the  forest,  endeavored  to  woo  her 


88  Legends  of  Le  iJetroU. 

by  their  peculiar  mode  of  courtship.  They 
would  whittle  tiny  sticks  and  throw  them  at  her. 
If  the  girl  picked  them  up  the  Indian's  suit 
was  favored,  but  if  she  heeded  them  not  he 
carefully  collected  and  buried  them  with  his 
unrequited  affection.  White  Fawn  had  shyly 
hesitated  over  the  love  tokens  of  a  distinguished 
warrior,  thereby  conveying  that  she  needed  more 
time. 

One  day  he  returned  from  the  forest,  bringing 
a  wounded  hunter,  whom  he  had  accidentally 
shot.  The  medicine  men  worked  their  charms 
over  the  stranger,  and  the  maiden  nursed  iiim 
tenderly,  for  she  knew  that  if  the  pale-face  died 
there  would  be  a  shadow  on  the  heart  of  the 
warrior.  But  soon  a  mist  came  over  her  ej^es, 
and  the  voice  of  the  brave  which  had  been  as 
the  summer  wind,  to  which  she  bent  like  the 
reed,  no  longer  whispered  its  sweet  song.  The 
traditions  of  her  mother's  race  found  their  way 
to  her  heart ;  the  words  of  the  pale-face  became 
stars  and  the  heart  of  the  maiden  the  lake 
whereon  they  rested,  and  as  he  looked  down  he 
saw  no  other  light  reflected  there.  The  warrior 
soon  noticing  the  change,  upbraided  the  maiden, 
who  bowed  her  head  in  silence.  The  bright  knife 
of  the  Indian  gleamed  a  second  in  his  uplifted 
hand,  but  the  next  instant  it  was  whirled  far  out 


Legemis  of  Le  DHroit.  89 

into  tlu*  river  and  burying  its  keen  ed^e  in  tlie 
peaceful  waters.  "No,"  said  the  Indian,  "tlie 
arm  of  Kenen  is  stronger  than  his  voice  and  his 
anger  like  the  mighty  tempest  that  sweeps  over 
the  forest,  but  he  is  not  strong  enough  to  strike 
the  heart  of  the  White  Fawn." 

Sliortly  afterward  the  tribe  removed  to  their 
winter  hunting  grounds,  and  tlie  Iro(piois,  the 
hereditary  foes  of  the  Hurons,  becoming  annoyed 
at  some  act,  warred  against  them.  Among  the 
prisoners  that  they  captured  was  the  ])ale  face, 
whom  they  brought  to  Bois  Blanc.  Here,  where 
everything  spoke  to  him  of  his  former  happiness, 
was  he  to  take  his  last  farewell  of  life,  with  no 
friendly  voices,  or  kind,  comforting  words  to 
soothe  his  agony.  A  hush  fell  on  the  assembled 
Indians  gathered  around  to  see  the  pale-face  die. 
A  haughty  warrior  advanced,  and  despite  the 
usual  decorum  of  the  council,  the  name  of  Kenen 
ran  in  sounding  tones  around  the  circle.  "Have 
the  Iroquois  heard  the  name  of  Kenen?"  he 
asked.  "  There  is  no  greater  in  his  nation,"  was 
the  reply.  The  dark  eye  of  the  Huron  flashed 
proudly.  "Let  the  pale-face  be  free,"  he  said, 
"a  Huron  chief  will  take  his  place."  The  cords 
were  severed  which  bound  the  white  man,  and 
the  Huron  whispered  to  him:  "  There  is  sorrow 
in  the  heart  of  the  White  Fawn,  and  the  eyes  of 


90  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Kenen  cannot  look  ux)on  it.  When  lie  is  gone 
the  White  Fawn  will  be  happy  in  the  shelter  she 
loves."  So  qnickly  was  all  done  that  the  pale- 
face had  not  time  to  remonstrate.  He  was  borne 
along  to  a  canoe,  and  soon  swift  oars  wafted  him 
from  the  fatal  spot.  When  the  bright  moon  rose^ 
the  spirit  of  the  warrior  rested  on  the  bosom  of 
his  fathers. 


XIII 

THE   MIAMI   SEER'S   PROPHECY. 


D 


A  Leg'eud  of  Braddock's  Defeat. 

E  CELEROIS',  wiiilst  commander  of  Fort 
Pontcliartrain,  had  received  orders  to  reas- 
sert the  French  claim  to  all  the  country  west 
of  the  Alleghanies.  He  did  so  by  ordering  the 
English  traders  away  and  placing  at  the  junction 
of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela  Rivers  a  sil- 
ver plate,  upon  which  was  this  inscription:  "In 
the  year  1749  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XV., 
King  of  France,  we,  Celeron,  commander  of  a 
detachment  sent  by  the  Marquis  de  la  Galisson- 
niere,  commander-in-chief  of  New  France,  for 
, the  restoration  of  tranquility  in  sonic  villages  of 
Indians  in  this  district,  have  buried  this  plate  at 
the  coniluence  of  the  Ohio  and  Tchadakoin  this 
29th  day  of  July,  near  the  River  Ohio,  otherwise 


'92  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Beautiful  River,  as  a  monument  of  the  renewal 
of  possession  which  we  have  taken  of  the  said 
River  Ohio  and  of  all  those  that  therein  fall  and 
of  all  the  said  lands  on  both  sides  as  far  as  the 
sources  of  said  rivers,  as  enjoyed,  or  ought  to  be 
enjoyed,  by  the  preceding  King  of  France,  and 
as  they  therein  maintained  themselves  by  arms 
and  by  treaties,  especially  by  those  of  Ryswick, 
of  Utrecht,  and  of  Aix-la-Chapelle." 

Petty  hostilities  between  France  and  England 
had  been  growing  warmer  for  years,  until  in  1755 
they  had  reached  a  degree  when  open  warfare 
seemed  inevitable.  England  determined  to  stop 
the  so-called  encroachments  of  the  French  by 
sending  a  vast  army  to  join  the  recruits  raised  by 
the  Colonists  along  the  Atlantic.  The  latter  were 
to  light  the  torch  of  war  b}^  attacking  the  French 
posts  between  Fort  Duquesne  (Pittsburg)  and 
Niagara. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1755  DeBellestre,  the 
commander  of  Fort  Pontchartrain,  received  or- 
ders from  the  Governor  General  of  New  France 
to  summon  every  able-bodied  man  to  arms  and  to 
rouse  the  Indian  tribes  even  as  far  as  the  Missis- 
sippi. For  many  days  the  little  fort  was  the, 
scene  of  unusual  commotion.  Scouts  had  been 
sent  to  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  North  and  West, 
detachments  of  which  w^ere  constantly  arriving 


Lcyends  of  Le  Detroit.  93 

in  answer  to  the  summons.  DeBellestre  was  to 
remain  at  the  fort ;  liis  uncle,  Alexis  ties  Ruis- 
seaux,  was  to  command  the  outgoing  r«'gulars. 
The  militia  were  a\\  ait  ing  orders  for  an  immediate 
march  to  the  Ohio,  witli  dHtachments  of  Tiidiniis 
and  coureurs  des  bois,  commanded  by  Jou- 
caire,  Isidore  Chesne,  Godefroy,  Campeau,  Medor 
Gamelin,  La  Butte  and  Jadot.  Pontiac  with  the 
Ottawas,  Sauteurs,  Poux,  and  all  the  tribes  of 
the  North,  Takay  of  the  wicked  bands  of  Ilurons, 
Baby  and  Peatan  of  the  Christian  band,  and  Gros 
Oreilles  (Big  Ears)  and  Kenouchamek  of  the 
Lou])s  and  Shawnees,  hastened  to  obey  the  sum- 
mons. They  encamped  two  miles  above  the 
Huron  mission  (now  Windsor,  opposite  Detroit). 
As  the  time  approached  for  the  departure  of  the 
expedition,  DeBellestre,  well  versed,  like  all  the 
French  ofiicers,  in  Indian  customs,  called  a  gen- 
eral council  of  all  the  tribes,  to  be  held  on  the 
site  of  their  encampment.  Belts  of  wampum 
were  prepared,  barrels  of  eau  de  vie  opened, 
cloths,  blankets,  ornaments  of  silver,  guns,  balls, 
powder  and  knives  were  lavishly  distributed 
as  presents  from  Onontio  to  his  dusky  children. 
Rumors  of  the  extraordinary  strength  of.  the 
English  marching  force  had  reached  the  savages. 
Some  of  the  wiser  and  cooltM-  of  the  chieftains 
wished  to  obtain  further  information  as  to  the 


94  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

risk  to  be  incurred.  Bellestre  was  compelled  to 
harangue  his  savage  allies.  "My  children,"  he 
said,  "are  you  ungrateful  for  all  the  kindness 
Onontio  has  shown  you?  His  enemies  have  come 
upon  him  like  a  band  of  wolves  at  night,  and  he 
depends  ui)on  his  children  to  run  to  his  aid. 
New  presents  will  be  distributed  to  you  on  your 
return,  and  to  the  families  of  those  who  fall  a 
double  supply  shall  be  given." 

A  noted  chief  of  the  Miamis,  and  a  renowned 
seer  and  dreamer,  rose  to  reply.  ' '  What  my 
father  says  is  true,  and  my  heart  sorrows  that 
any  warrior  should  refuse  to  obey  Onontio' s  call. 
Last  night  in  my  sleep  I  saw  a  lofty  mountain, 
along  whose  sides  marched  countless  numbers  of 
pale-face  warriors.  Their  brilliant  scarlet  blan- 
kets glowed  like  the  leaves  of  the  sumach  in  the 
sun.  Their  polished  knives  glistened  like  the 
sleeping  waters  of  the  lake  under  the  light  of  the 
full  moon.  On  a  snow-white  horse  sat  their  proud 
leader,  and  his  eagle  eye  seemed  to  pierce  the 
cowardly  heart.  Great  guns  on  wheels,  drawn 
by  stout  horses,  followed  in  the  line  wdiich  trail- 
ed like  a  serpent  througli  the  valley.  Last  came 
countless  '  long-knife "  warriors  clad  in  coats  the 
color  of  the  sky.  On  a  black  horse  at  their  head 
rode  a  young  chieftain  whose  stern,  majestic  face 
and  pale  blue  eye  made  me  shrink.     At  last,  I 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  95 

thought,  the  tribes  are  to  be  driven  from  their 
hunting  grounds.  Desolation  will  encompass 
every  wigwam  of  the  ^Vest.  As  I  was  about  to 
flee  I  heard  a  shout,  and  one  of  our  French  broth- 
ers, clad  in  an  Indian  hunting  dress  with  a  silver 
gorget  on  his  breast,  leaped  from  the  woods  and 
sprang  down  the  hill-side.  As  he  waved  his  sword 
above  his  head  I  saw  the  warriors  of  our  tribes, 
the  Miamis,  the  Ottawas,  the  Loups,  the  Hurons, 
the  Shawnees  and  others  dart  from  behind  every 
tree,  and  pour  in  a  fire  which  fell  like  hail  upon 
the  proud  foe,  and  as  the  leaves  before  a  hurri- 
cane^ the  red-coats  went  down.  In  vain  their 
brave  chief  tried  to  rally  them  ;  they  fled,  and 
their  leader  was  slain.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
pale  blue-eyed  chief  of  the  'long-knives,'  every 
scalp  would  have  hung  at  the  belts  of  our  war- 
riors. Though  bullet  after  bullet  was  sent  after 
him,  and  all  around  him  fell,  he  was  untouched, 
for  he  bore  a  charmed  life.  The  great  Manitou  had 
taken  him  under  his  wing.  Many  of  our  braves 
returned  to  their  camps  loaded  down  with  plun- 
der, and  one  brought  the  beautiful  snow-white 
steed  of  the  red-coat  leader.  Years  hence  I  see 
her  colts,  swifter  than  the  wind  and  nmnoi-ous  as 
the  blades  of  grass  scattered  over  the  boundless 
plains  of  the  West.  Brothers,  I  have  done." 
The  warriors  who  liad  clustered  around  listen- 


96  Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  » 

ing  eagerly  to  their  inspired  seer  gave  utterance- 
to  many  uglis  !  ughs  !  expressive  of  their  delight 
and  full  faith  in  coming  victory. 

The  expedition  started  out.  How  the  brave 
Beau  jell  and  his  Indian  followers  brought  about 
Braddock's  defeat,  and  how  the  savages  came  tO' 
regard  Washington,  the  leader  of  the  "long- 
knives,"  with  superstitious  awe  are  matters  of 
history.  It  is  not  so  well  known  that  from  Brad- 
dock's  white  mare  and  a  spirited  stallion  of  the 
West,  left  by  Cortes,  the  hardy,  swift  Canadian 
and  Indian  ponies  so  famous  along  the  lakes,  are- 
descended. 


THE   BONES   OF   THE   PROPHET. 


A  Leerend  of  Isle  au  Peche. 


'^  AILING  along  the  Detroit  and 
Lake  Ste.  Claire,  the  eye  is  charm- 
ed b}'  the  beantifnl  islands  wliicli 
nestle  on  the  bosom  of  the  bright 
waters.  The  Indian  legend  re- 
garding their  origin  is  a  pretty  and  poetical  con- 
ception. One  little  one  just  above  Belle  Isle — 
"Peach  Island/'*  as  it  is  called — is  a  bit  of 
wandering  fairyland,  around  Avhich  romance  has 


*0n  account  of  a  misnomer  Isle  an  Pfiche  has  been  Anglicised 
into  "  Peach  Island,"  whereas  it  should  have  been  translated 
Fishiuij  Island,  on  account  of  an  old  tishery  established  there  as 
early  as  1722. — (Charlevoix.) 


98  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

woven  its  gossamer  web  and  wliich  history  has 
gilded  with  its  magic  pencil. 

The  spirit  who  inhabited  the  Sand  Mountains, 
called  the  "Sleeping  Bear,'"'-  had  a  daughter 
who  was  endowed  with  such  seductive  beauty 
and  matchless  perfection  that  the  mother  feared 
she  would  be  stolen.  The  spirit  hid  her  in  a 
box,  tying  it  by  a  long  string  to  a  stake  on  the 
beach,  and  every  day  would  draw  the  box  in 
to  feed  the  fair  maiden  and  comb  her  yellow 
tresses. 

The  South  Wind  passed  once  at  this  hour,  and 
saw  her.  He  murmured  caressingly  his  soft  and 
balmy  sighs  through  the  golden  meshes  of  her 
flowing  hair.  This  gentle  wooing  gave  birth  to 
that  beautiful,  but  too  brief,  Indian  summer. 
The  North  and  West  Winds  heard  of  the  mys- 
terious beauty  through  their  zephyr  couriers.  A 
fierce  rivalry  ensued  and  the  elements  were  at 
war.  A  violent  storm  arose,  snapped  the  frail 
thread  which  held  the  box  to  its  moorings,  and 
it  drifted  along  borne  by  the  waves  to  the  lodge 
■of  the  Prophet,  the  Keeper  of  the  Gates  of  the 
jLakes,  who  resided  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Huron. 
Joyfully  he  received  as  his  bride  this  beautiful 
waif  of  the  foamy  billows. 

*  Sleeping  Bear.  A  point  of  land  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Lake 
Michigan,  noted  for  the  prevalence  of  storms  in  its  vicinity. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  99 

The  dusky  Paiuloia  broiitilil  rvil  in  licr  train. 
The  storm  revived  in  all  its  fury,  sweeping  away 
the  lodge  and  portions  of  tlie  land  of  the  old 
Magician.  These  floated  down  and  formed  the 
islands  in  the  Detroit  River.  The  old  Prophet 
was  bur^d  beneath  Isle  au  Peche  wliich  became 
the  ^lecca  of  the  Ottawa  warriors. 

The  fragments  of  the  box  formed  Belle  Isle, 
and  the  great  Manitou,  in  order  to  prevent  any 
more  contentions,  girded  the  island  with  rattle- 
snakes. No  other  sentinels  were  required  to 
guard  the  imprisoned  1  eauty  than  these  rei)tiles 
with  their  bewitching  craft  of  eyes  and  forked 
tongues,  and  Axiiich  were  held  in  snx)erstitioiis 
veneration  by  tlie  Indians. 

It  was  in  October  of  1702  that  the  wonderful 
*'pluie  de  suie"  or  "Black  Rain"*  occurred; 
this  day  is  known  in  liistory  as  the  ''Black 
Day  of  Canada."  Clouds  of  inkj^  blackness 
hung  over  Detroit.  Water,  land,  everything  was 
enveloped  in  ihis  sombre  drapery  of  darkness. 
The  howling  of  wolves  and  the  despairing  moans 
of  animals,  combining  all  that  is  savage  in  beast 
and  fearful  in  man,  prophesying  and  dei3loring 
the  approaching  misfortune,  lent  terror  to  this 
weird  carniva  of  Tenebrae.  When  the  rain  fell, 
the  drops  emitted  a  strong  sulphurous  odor,  and 

*  Literally,  "rain  of  soot." 


lUO  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

were  so  deeply  colored  that  they  could  l)e  used 
as  ink.  Philosophy  and  science  gave  their  solu- 
tion of  this  strange  phenomenon,  but  the  learned 
explanation  fell  on  deaf  ears,  for  the  Canadians 
and  Indians  read  for  themselves  the  mystic  lan- 
guage foreboding  disaster. 

Pontiac,  the  wily  diplomat  of  the  forest,  whose 
eloquence,  subtlety  and  consummate  ambition, 
commanded  the  admiration  of  his  civilized  foes 
and  gained  for  him  the  title  of  the  Mithridates- 
of  the  West,  viewed  these  signs  as  prophetic 
warnings.  Following  the  ancient  customs  of  the 
Indians  who  prepared  themselves  for  great  under- 
takings by  fasting,  "^'^  he  dismissed  his  squaws^ 
and  retinue  to  the  Ottawa  village  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Le  Detroit,  and  went  alone  to  Isle  au 
Peche  to  consult  the  Prophet  whose  bones  lay 
beneath.  There,  amid  the  calm  and  picturesque 
scenes  of  nature,  and  in  that  harmonious  silence 
so  eloquent  in  its  muteness,  he  conceived  the 
plan  of  that  wonderful  coup  d'etat  which  has- 
blazoned  his  name  on  history's  page,  by  which 
he  aimed  to  destroy  all  the  English  forts  on  the 


*  The  Indians  believed  in  fasting,  and  thought  that  by  weaken- 
ing the  body,  they  entered  into  closer  communion  with  the  spirit. 
The  dreams  or  visions  which  came  to  them  whilst  in  this  con- 
dition were  carefully  treasured,  and  frequently  guided  and  in- 
fluenced them  in  all  their  undertakings  during  their  lifetimes. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  101 

sniiic  (lay,  and  to  drive  tlir  insiders  fioiii  tlie 
country.  Brought  ii])  in  tli(3  solemn  urandcur  of 
tlie  primitive  forests  where  no  passing  mood  or 
fancy  ol"  the  mind  but  had  its  image  or  echo  in 
the  wild  world  around,  the  autumn  blast  as  it 
shrieked  its  discordant  symphonies  through  the 
forest  i)Oured  its  fierce  energy  into  his  lieart. 
The  sullen  roar  of  the  waves  as  they  dashed 
against  the  beach  in  foaming  rage  inflamed  his 
resentment;  his  fevered  imagination  saw  the 
phantoms  of  his  i-ace  urging  him  on  to  defend 
their  resting-i)lace  from  the  despoiling  hand  of 
the  invader.  In  the  moaning  reeds  the  voice  of 
the  Prophet  bade  him  gather  his  tribe,  to  rise 
up,  to  be  strong  as  the  whirlwind  and  to  go  forth 
like  the  lightning  and  scatter  the  English  like 
leaves  before  the  autumn  wind. 

The  evening  of  the  seventh  day  he  returned  to 
his  tribe,  emaciated  from  his  long  vigils  and 
fasting.  He  sent  his  messengers  with  the  war- 
belt  of  wain  1)11  up-  and  the  tomahawk  stained  icd 
in  token  of  wai',  fiom  ti-ibe  to  tribe,  from  \  ilhige 
to  village. 

*The  Iiidiiiiis  ainoiiji'  tlicinsclvcs  bud  no  wrilteu  coiilracts.  the 
belt  of  wjimpuin  supplying;  tlu'  placo,  as  a  leminder  of  a  bond  or 
promise  ^iven.  It  was  painted  different  colors  to  suit  the  occa- 
sion ;  red,  for  instance,  siirnifyintr  war,  etc.  The  belts  were  care- 
fully preserved  and  handed  down  in  llie  Iribe  from  i^eneration  to 
ixcneration. 


102  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Pontiac,  as  chief  of  the  Metai,  a  magical  asso- 
ciation among  the  warriors  of  the  lakes,  obtained 
great  influence  over  all  the  tribes  which  enabled 
him  to  play  on  the  superstition  of  his  followers. 
He  called  them  to  a  great  council,  and  in  burning 
words  of  eloquence  spoke  of  the  wrongs  and 
injuries  they  had  received  from  the  English,  and 
revealed  to  them  the  command  he  had  received 
from  the  Prophet  of  Isle  au  Peche.  The  plan 
gave  satisfaction  to  the  grave  and  silent  warriors, 
who,  drawing  their  blankets  over  their  heads, 
retired  to  their  villages  to  await  the  signal  which 
was  to  return  to  them  the  hunting-grounds  of 
their  forefathers. 


XV 


THE   BLOODY   RUN. 


A  Liegrend  of  Pontiac's  Sie^e. 

ONE  briglit  Ma}"  morning  in  17(33,  whilst  Pon- 
tiac  and  his  savage  hordes  hiy  before  Detroit, 
two  men  were  engaged  in  earnest  conversa- 
tion in  front  of  the  council  house  within  the  be- 
sieged place.  The  more  conspicuous  was  a  tall, 
determined  looking  man,  clad  in  the  uniform  of 
an  English  officer,  whose  features  were  almost 
picturesque  in  their  i-uggedness.  This  was  ^Taj. 
Gladwyn,  commander  of  the  post.  His  abrupt 
and  impatient  gestures  were  in  striking  contrast 
with  the  easy,  graceful  manners  of  his  compan- 
ion, Maj.  Jean  Chapoton,  thefirst  surgeon  of  Fort 
Pontchartrain,  who,  several  years  previous  to  the 
English  conquest,  had  resigned  from  the  French 
army  and  settled  in  Detroit. 


104  -      Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

It  was  evident  from  the  eager,  anxious  glances 
they  cast  along  the  street  every  now  and  then, 
that  they  expected  some  one.  Presently  they 
were  joined  by  a  younger  man  of  medium  height, 
but  of  powerful  physique,  and  whose  dress  be- 
spoke preparations  for  a  long  and  tedious  jour- 
ney. Tlie  new-comer  was  Jacques  Godefroy  de 
Marboeuf,  whose  kindred,  Godefroy  de  Linctot, 
and  Godefroy  de  Tonnancour,  had  come  to  Canada 
in  1GB6.  Left  an  orphan  at  a  tender  age,  he  had 
been  brought  up  by  his  eldest  sister,  the  wife  of 
Trotier  des  Ruisseaux,  the  sister-in-law  of  De 
Tonty  and  DeBellestre,  two  French  Command- 
ants of  Fort  Pontchartrain.  It  was  the  English 
policy  to  conciliate  the  French  element  who  were 
placed  in  a  strange  and  trying  position,  like 
prisoners  on  capitulation,  and  who  preserved 
neutral  ground  in  the  quarrel  between  the  Eng- 
lish and  Indians.  Godefroy' s  tliorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  Indian  habits  and  customs,  his  love 
of  adventure  and  his  family  connection,  had 
made  him  an  invaluable  acquisition  to  Gladwyn. 
He  and  Maj.  Chapoton  had  been  sent  to  try  their 
influence  on  Pontiac,  but  in  vain,  and  it  w^as  at 
the  request  of  the  chief  (Pontiac)  himself  that 
Godefroy  was  now  going  to  the  country  of  the 
Illinois,  where  a  French  soldier,  Monsieur  de 
Leon,  still  retained  command,  the  object  being 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  105 

to  bring  tlie  officer  or  another  inffuential  one  to 
convince  the  Indians  tliat  France  liad  no  longer 
claims  on  Detroit — a  delusion  they  fondly  cher- 
ished and  in  which  they  were  encouraged  by 
many  of  the  French  habitants. 

Gladwjm  seemed  to  approve  of  the  project, 
and  had  been  waiting  to  give  Godefroy  a  few 
instructions  before  he  started  out  witli  Mesnil 
Chesne.  Godefroy  commended  to  the  officer's 
care  his  infant  son  and  his  young  relative,  ]\fade- 
leine  de  Tonnancour,  and  started  on  his  hazard- 
ous journey.* 

Madeleine  de  Tonnancour  was  an  orphan  and 
had  been  educated  at  the  Ursuline  Convent  at 
Quebec.  EndoAved  with  great  personal  beauty, 
and  possessing  more  than  the  usual  accomplish- 
ments of  the  Canadian  girl,  she  became  the  belle 
of  the  gay  capital  of  New  France.  At  a  ball 
she  met  the  dashing  officer,  Capt.  Dalzell,  then 
attached  to  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst's  staff  ;  it  was  a 
■case  of  love  at  first  sight.  Madeleine's  friends 
who  bitterly  resented  the  invasion  of  the  Eng- 
lish, opposed  the  idea  of  her  marriage  with  an 
English  officer,  and  being  a  minor  and  therefore 
subject  to  the  control  of  her  relatives  she  was 
obliged  to  succumb  to  her  fate.     She  entered  a 


*  Infant  son  was  afterwards  Col.  Gabriel  Godefroy,  for  forty 
years  in  the  American  service  as  Indian  Agent  and  interpreter. 


106  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

convent,  but  having  no  vocation  conceived  the- 
romantic  plan  of  bnrying  herself  with  relatives 
who  resided  in  the  far  off  frontier  post,  the 
Detroit  of  Erie.  Here  she  arrived  just  as  the 
Indian  troubles  were  commencing.  The  society 
of  the  little  colony  was  far  different  from  that  of 
the  gay  capital,  and  no  doubt  moments  of  regret 
came  for  her  hasty  act  of  self -exile. 

Gladwyn  w^ould  occasionally  call  at  Madame 
des  Ruisseaux's,  at  whose  house  on  Ste.  Anne's 
street  Madeleine  resided,  and  he  would  try  and 
soothe  the  ladies'  apprehensions.  For  the  times 
were  critical,  and  it  required  a  brave  and  cour- 
ageous heart  to  witness  the  fearful  sights  of 
which  they  were  powerless  spectators.  Ghostly 
processions  of  massacred  captives  would  float 
down  on  the  river  past  the  fort  during  the  day, 
while  night  was  robbed  of  its  darkness  by  the 
fire-rafts  sent  by  the  wily  Indian  to  destroy  the 
two  small  vessels,  the  only  hof)e  of  the  beleaguer- 
ed garrison.  Gradually  Gladwyn' s  visits  became 
more  frequent,  and  it  was  soon  evident  that  the 
English  officer  found  his  chief  pleasure  and 
forgot  his  precarious  position  in  the  smiles  of 
the  beautiful  Madeleine.  She  was  flattered  by 
his  attentions,  and  his  society  beguiled  many  an 
anxious  hour.  But  when  he  laid  his  heart  at  her 
disposal  she  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  entreaties,. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  lOT 

becoming  more  distant  in  her  intercourse  with 
liim.  Possessing  a  nature  not  easily  balked  in 
its  purpose,  he  determined  to  lind  the  cause  of 
his  rejection,  and  leave  no  means  unturned  to 
secure  her. 

Matters  stood  thus  when  one  sultry  July  day, 
Godefroy  returning,  reported  himseli"  to  Gladwyn. 
He  was  well  received  by  the  officer,  though  he 
brought  news  of  the'  ill  success  of  his  mission. 
Gladwyn  tlien  spoke  of  his  affection  for  Mile,  de 
Tonnancour,  and  tried  to  enlist  the  sympathy  of 
Godefroy  and  his  influence  with  his  beautiful 
relative,  holding  forth  promises  of  interest,  etc. 
Godefroy,  much  surprised,  refused,  but  couched 
his  reply  in  terms  as  courteous  as  possible,  Glad- 
wyn' s  determined  character  being  well  known.  He 
spoke  also  of  the  enmity  which  he  would  incur 
from  Madeleine's  relatives,  who  might  think  he 
had  thus  purchased  advancement.  Gladw;sni 
turned  haughtily  away,  saying  something  which 
roused  the  blood  of  the  Frenchman,  who,  forget- 
ting the  habitual  prudence  and  policy  used  by  the 
habitants  in  their  intercourse  with  the  English, 
made  a  bitter  retoii:  and  left  the  officer's  quarters. 
That  same  evening  Gladwyn  penned  an  epistle  ta 
Sir  William  Johnson  in  which  he  made  a  most 
sweeping  assertion,  imputing  to  the  French,  and 


108  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

j)articularly  to  Godefroy  and  liis  friends,  the 
blame  for  the  Indian  ontbrealv. 

On  (xodefroy's  return  to  his  sister's,  lie  re- 
marked that  he  would  have  to  be  cautious  and 
be  ready  to  leave  the  fort  at  a  moment's  warning, 
for,  said  he,  "I  noticed  from  the  glitter  of  the 
Major's  steel  gray  eyes  that  mischief  is  in  store 
for  me,"  and  related  the  interview  with  Gladwyn. 

Poor  Madeleine  was  in  despair  feeling  as  if  she 
was  born  under  an  unlucky  star  to  bring  mis- 
fortune upon  all,  and  kept  secluded  for  sev- 
eral days.  One  evening  at  twilight  tired  of  the 
house  she  determined  to  stroll  out.  Passing  the 
water-gate  she  sauntered  towards  the  Rigolet 
des  Hurons  (Savoyard)  that  flowed  back  of  the 
pickets.  On  its  sloping  banks  was  a  stately  oak, 
within  whose  hollow  trunk  a  pious  hand  had 
X)laced  an  image  of  the  Virgin,  for  the  spot  was 
pointed  out  by  tradition  as  the  place  where  the 
saintly  Father  Constantin  had  been  murdered 
many  years  before.  As  she  walked  along  she 
noticed  the  new  moon  over  her  right  shoulder — a 
lucky  omen,  she  thought — and  remembered  that 
in  the  morning  whilst  sadly  musing  on  her  mis- 
fortunes a  little  wren,*  the  bird  "au  Bon  Dieu," 


*This  bird  was  fabled  to  have  brought  tire  from  Heaven  to 
■earth.  He  brings  good  fortune,  and  he  who  tears  down  his  nest 
brings  the  fire  of  Heaven  on  his  own  liousehold. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  1<'0 

li:i(l   conie    to   build    its   nest   under  licr  dormer 
window. 

We  are  piisniatic  in  our  nature  and  reflect 
every  varjdng  mood  of  our  surroundings.  Can 
it  be  wondered  at,  that  those  brought  \i\)  in  the 
wild,  half  savage  life  of  the  frontier,  caught  that 
tinge  of  the  supernatui-al  which  hides  in  the 
heart  of  primeval  forests,  blends  itself  in  the 
myths  of  the  Indians,  and  appeals  to  that  super- 
stition which  lurks  in  every  heart,  investing 
each  freak  of  nature,  every  unusual  occurrence, 
with  an  occult  and  mystic  meaning^  Thus,  to 
one  of  Madeleine's  temperament,  nature  could 
never  be  mute.  Should  a  little  flake  of  snow 
suddenly  dart  across  her  path,  it  was  the  soul  of 
an  unbaptized  infant,  she  thought,  condemned 
to  wander.  If  a  white  pigeon  flew  near  and 
was  exceptionally  tame,  it  was  the  soul  of  some 
departed  friend  for  whose  repose  she  had  forgot- 
ten to  pray.  The  cheerful  cricket  on  the  hearth 
must  be  welcomed,  for  he  brought  joy  and  peace  ; 
the  little  swallow  could  always  liring  you  a  stone 
that  would  restore  sight  to  the  blind,  and  any 
young  girl  whose  heart  was  pure  could,  by 
touching  the  flower  marigold  with  her  bare,  dim- 
pled foot,  on  a  certain  night,  understand  the 
language  of  birds.  Nor  tlid  the  fair  maiden 
shriek  out  when  the  industrious  spider,  whose 


110  Legends  of  Le  Deti'oit 

web  extended  across  the  ancient  rafters,  dropped 
on  her  phimp  neck,  for  it  was  a  sign  of  money 
coming.  And  whosoever  heard  the  first  cuckoo 
of  spring  singing  was  sure  to  keej)  safe  what 
money  he  jDossessed  the  rest  of  the  year.  Made- 
leine knelt  before  the  humble  shrine  and  besought 
her  Heavenly  Mother  to  obtain  from  her  Divine 
Son  guidance  out  of  her  troubles. 

With  a  lighter  heart  she  rose  from  her  devo- 
tions and  turned  her  steps  homeward.  Suddenly 
a  hooting  owl  flew  past  her,  muttering  its  dismal 
sound,  and  the  distant  mournful  notes  of  a  toll- 
ing bell  fell  on  her  ear.  A  prophetic  feeling  of 
impending  woe  seized  her.  Ere  she  had  time  to 
analyze  the  sensation  the  cannon  of  the  fort 
thundered  forth  and  was  instantly  answered  by 
a  salute  from  the  water. 

Hastening  her  steps  she  saw  coming  up  the 
river  a  long  line  of  batteaux  crowded  witli  men, 
proclaiming  that  at  last  the  expected  relief  had 
come.  The  troops  landed  and  were  warmly  wel- 
comed by  the  garrison,  and  she  heard  the  name 
of  Dalzell,*  which  fell  like  a  bright  ray  on  the 
dark  drapery  of  her  forebodings.  As  soon  as 
Dalzell  learnt  that  Madeleine  was  in  the  fort, 
accompanied  by  Gladwyn  he  sought  her  presence. 
The  blushing  cheek  and  gladsome  light  which 

*  Dalzell  is  pronounced  Dalyell. 


Legends  of  Le  Dttvo'd.  Ill 

lighted  lip  the  durk  eye  revealed  to  the  Com- 
mandant why  lie  had  pleaded  in  vain.  He  soon 
took  his  leave,  and  Madeleine  laid  her  troubles 
before  hei-  lover.  "We  shall  now  put  an  end  to 
all  this,"  he  answered.  "I  have  three  hundred 
veterans,  and  with  the  ^Major's  pemnission  will 
soon  demonstrate  the  folly  of  remaining  here 
pent  up  at  the  behest  of  the  savages."  "Alas  I  " 
replied  she,  "you  know  not  the  craft  nor  the 
p6wer  of  this  Indian  chieftain.  Besides,  I  have 
a  strange  ^presentiment  that  if  j^ou  imdertake  so 
hazardous  a  project  we  shall  never  meet  again." 
In  vain  he  tried  with  all  a  soldier's  ardor  added 
to  a  lover's  tenderness,  to  lull  her  fears;  but  a 
vague,  inexplicable  something  seemed  to  warn 
her  that  this  was  their  last  meeting  on  earth. 

The  graphic  pen  of  history  has  chronicled  the 
result  and  verified  the  girl's  apprehensions — how 
the  consent  of  Gladwyn  was  apparently  reluc- 
tantly given ;  the  early  march  at  dawn  of  Dalzell 
and  his  men  to  Pontiac's  camp  ;  the  ambuscade 
that  he  fell  into,  and  how  the  waters  of  l^loody 
Run  were  crimsoned  by  the  blood  of  his  brave 
soldiers  ;  and  finally  the  heroic  death  of  the  gal- 
lant Dalzell  in  trying  to  save  a  wounded  comrade. 
When  the  terrible  news  was  brought  to  Made- 
leine she  nobly  dried  her  tears  while  trying  to 
alleviate  the  sufferings  of    the  wounded  which 


112  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

each  boat  brought  to  the  fort.  Overhearing  some 
one  say  that  Dalzell'  s  head  was  placed  on  a  picket, 
she  lost  consciousness,  and  ere  many  days  had 
passed  had  joined  her  lover  in  a  better  land. 
Gladwyn  seemed  ever  after  like  one  on  whose 
mind  some  great  burden  of  sorrow  was  resting. 
His  bitterness  towards  the  French  increased,  and 
on  Bradstreet's  arrival  Godefroy  was  found  under 
arrest  and  condemned  to  death  by  a  court  martial 
on  the  grounds  of  having  incited  the  Indians  to 
revolt.  He  was  released  on  condition  of  acting 
as  interpreter  to  an  English  officer,  whose  expe- 
dition to  the  Illinois  country  probably  saved  the 
British  army  from  destruction. 

The  stately  tree  on  Jefferson  avenue  known  as 
the  Pontiac  Oak,  is  all  that  is  left  to  remind  one 
of  that  bloody  romance  ;  the  stream  itself  has 
disappeared. 


XVI 


LE  LOUP  GAROU. 


A  Leg-end  of  Grosse  Pointe. 


A  N  Y  years  before  Com- 
modore Grant,  formerly  in 
command  of  a  British  ves- 
sel on  Lake  Erie*  built  his 
great  castle  at  Grosse 
Pointe,  a  trapper  named 
Simonet  had  settled  near 
there  oil  the  margin  of  the  lake. 

His  young  wife  had  faded  away  in  the  early 
years  of  their  married  life,  but  as  if  in  compen- 
sation, had  left  the  little  prattler  Archange  to 
wean  him  from  his  grief  and  to  cheer  his  lone- 
liness.    And    the   strong,  hardy  man,   with   his 


*Erie  in  the  Huron  language  signifies  cat. 
8 


114  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

sunburnt  face  and  brawny  arms  hardened  by 
toil  and  exposure,  in  his  yearning  love  for  his 
child,  learned  to  soften  his  rough  manners  and 
soothe  her  with  the  gentle  ways  of  a  woman. 
Anxiously  he  watched  the  unfolding  of  his 
"pretty  flower,"  as  he  called  her,  and  with  a 
solicitude  touching  in  its  simple  pathos,  he  would 
select  the  softest  skin  of  the  bear  to  keep  her  feet 
warm,  search  for  the  brightest  wings  of  the  bird 
to  adorn  her  hat.  When  she  grew  up  he  t^iught 
her  to  skin  the  beaver,  muskrat  and  deer  which 
he  brought  home,  and  to  stretch  them  out  on  the 
drying  frame  near  the  house.  He  was  wont  to 
boast  that  ho  one  could  excel  Archange  preparing 
the  poisson  blanc  (whitefish),  poisson  dore  (pick- 
erel), or  give  that  XDeculiar  shade  of  brown  which 
is  in  itself  an  art,  to  the  savory  coclion  au  lait 
(sucking  pig). 

She  was  as  light-hearted  as  the  cricket  that 
chirped  on  the  hearth,  and  her  cheery  voice  could 
be  heard  caroling  away  to  the  music  of  her  spin- 
ning wheel.  In  the  long  winter  evenings  her  deft 
fingers  would  plait  the  straw  into  hats  which 
found  a  ready  sale,  and  which,  added  to  the  sum 
she  gained  by  her  knitted  socks  and  dried  corn, 
enabled  her  to  secure  many  little  articles  that  her 
vanity  suggested  to  enhance  her  charms.  For 
the  Canadian  girl,  in  the  rude  surroundings  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroh.  115 

lier  Torcsr  home,  was  as  anxious  to  please  aii<l  Ix' 
witcli  by  her  toilet  as  her  more  favored  Parisian 
sister ;  the  instincts  of  the  sex  still  lived  in  the 
wilderness.  At  the  corn-hnskings  and  dances 
on  the  greensward  Archange  was  the  reigning 
belle,  and  held  her  little  court  of  home-spun 
■dressed  youths  fascinated  by  the  magic  of  her 
dark  eyes,  her  brunette  complexion  with  its  Avarm 
g-low,  her  raven  tresses  and  2)i(piaute  tongue. 
Many  admiring  eyes  followed  her  lithe  form  as 
she  tripped  in  marvelous  rapidity  "la  jig  a  deux," 
or  as  she  changed  into  the  more  graceful,  sway- 
ing motion  of  "la  dance  ronde." 

Pierre  La  Fontaine,  a  young  farmer,  wooed  the 
fair  Archange,  and  the  light  of  happiness  which 
crept  into  the  dark,  winsome  eyes  shyly  raised  to 
his  in  answer,  told  him  he  had  not  pleaded  in 
vain.  Simonet  gave  his  consent  and  blessed  them, 
rejoicing  in  the  happiness  of  his  child.  On  bright 
moonlight  nights  Pierre  would  come  to  take  his 
fair  liancee  out  for  a  row.  Impelled  by  his  sin- 
ewy arm,  merrily  wf)ul(l  the  fragile  canoe  dance 
along  on  the  rip])]ing  waters  lit  up  by  ellish  moon- 
beams, and  the  lovers  would  talk  about  the  wed- 
ding, which  was  soon  to  take  place,  for  Pierre's 
new  cabin  that  he  was  building  for  his  "bonnie 
bride"  was  nearly  completed,  almost  a  uiile  dis- 
tant from  his  father's,  where  the  willows  stooped 


116  Legends  of  Le  DeUmt. 

so  low  that  their  graceful  tresses  touched  the 
water.  Archange  would  tell  him  of  the  red  cow 
her  god-father  had  promised  her,  and  the  addi- 
tions to  their  humble  menage  her  god-mother  had 
made/^ 

One  evening  as  Pierre  placed  Archange  on  the 
beach  near  her  home  and  she  lingered,  following- 
him  with  her  loving  eyes  as  he  swiftly  roAved 
away  until  he  had  disappeared  and  only  the  faint 
echo  of  his  Canadian  boat  song  floated  towards^ 
her,  she  w^as  startled  by  a  rustling  sound  near  by. 
Looking  up  a  wild  shriek  escaped  her,  for  a  mon- 
ster with  a  wolf's  head  and  an  enormous  tail, 
walking  erect  as  a  human  being,  crossed  her  path. 
Quickly  the  cabin  door  was  thrown  open  by  Sim- 
onet,  who  had  been  roused  by  his  daughter's 
scream.  Archange  flew  into  her  father's  arms, 
and  pointed  to  the  spot  where  she  had  seen  the 
monster,  but  the  animal  surprised  by  the  light, 
had  fled  into  the  woods.  Simonet's  face  grew 
pale  as  iirchange  described,  as  accurately  as  her 
fears  had  allowed  her  to  see,  the  apparition,  and 
he  recognized  the  dreaded  Loup   Garou.-j-     He 

■*It  was  customary  for  the  god-mother  to  give  the  bride  the 
necessary  articles  for  a  bedroom,  hence  the  term  "la  chambre 
garni  "  (the  furnished  room),  '"le  lit  garni"  (the  furnished  bed). 

f  The  term  Loup  Garou.  Its  Latin  equivalent  in  the  Middle 
Age  was  gerulphus.     The  German  wer-wolf  and  English  were- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  117 

quieted  her,  and  soon  with  ilic  happy  faculty 
youth  has  of  forgetting  disagreeable  things  she 
was  dreaming  of  Pierre  and  her  wedding.  Long 
after  the  girl  slept  Simonet  sat  musing,  lie  lit 
his  pipe  seeking  companions! lip  in  his  thoughts. 
Tliat  it  was  the  Loup  Garou  or  wehr-wolf  Ar- 
change  had  seen  he  did  not  doubt,  and  he  recalled 
all  the  traditions  of  his  youth,  how  the  dreaded 
monster  had  stolen  young  chihlren  ;  sometimes  a 
young  man  would  be  inveigled  away  into  the  for- 
est and  never  heard  of  afterwards,  and  his  fate 
conjectured  by  some,  having  seen  the  wolf  dressed 
in   his  clothes.     It   was   for    }'oung  maidens  he 

wolf  have  the  same  meaning.  Oservais  de  Tilburj'  in  his  Oisior- 
tes  Imperialc's  gives  the  followmg  explanation:  "  We  have  fre- 
quently seen  in  England,"  says  he,  "under  the  iutiucnee  of  cer- 
tain conditions,  men  transformed  into  wolves,  species  of  men 
■called  by  the  French  garous  (gerulphus),  and  the  English,  were- 
wolf." Were  in  English  signifies  man,  and  w'olf,  loup — man-wolf. 
In  Longfellow's  I{)vange!ine  the  following  relative  to  the  Loup 
"Garou  and  other  old  Norman  superstitions  is  found: 

"He  was  beloved  by  all,  and  most  of  all  by  Ihe  children, 
For  he  told  them  tales  of  the  Loup  Garou  in  the  forest. 
And  of  the  goblin  thai  came  in  the  night  to  water  the  horses, 
And  of  the  White  Letiche,  tlie  ghost  of  a  child  who  unchris- 

tened 
Died,  and  was  doomed  to  haunt  unseen  the  chambers  of  chil- 
dren. 
And  how  on  Cliristmas  Eve  the  oxen  talked  in  the  stable. 
And  how  the  fever  was  cured  by  a  spider  shut  up  in  a  nut- 
shell, 
And  of   the  marvelous  powers  of  four-leaved   clovers   and 

horse-shoes, 
With  whatever  else  was  writ  in  the  lore  of  the  village." 


118  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

showed  the  greatest  fondness,  and  ' '  it  boded  nO' 
good  to  her  whose  path  he  crossed."  Several  at- 
tempts had  been  made  to  kill  the  beast,  yet  all 
failed  and  it  was  thought  lie  bore  a  charmed  life. 
But  one  adventurous  hunter  determined  to  try 
his  skill,  so  he  molded  a  bullet'  from  silver  coin 
and  i)atiently  waited  for  his  victim  ' '  to  cross  his^ 
path."  The  charmed  missile  sj^ed 'towards  its 
destination  and  instead  of  killing  the  monster 
only  severed  his  tail,  which  was  secured,  dried 
and  stuffed.  It  was  the  wonder  of  the  whole- 
country,  and  was  worshiped  for  years  by  the 
Indians  as  a  powerful  fetich.  Simonet  hoped  all 
would  be  well,  still  a  strange  feeling  came  over 
him  like  a  presentiment,  which  in  vain  he  tried 
to  shake  off. 

The  »wedding  day  at  last  dawned,  the  sun 
shone  brightly  and  all  nature  seemed  to  smile  on 
the  fair  bride  of  that  day.  Archange,  arrayed 
in  her  simj)le  dress  of  white  batiste,  waS  a 
charming  picture  of  innocence  and  beauty.  Go- 
ing into  the  woods  to  gather  her  bouquet  of  wild 
flowers,  "the  Garou  again  crossed  her  path,"  but 
this  time  she  forgot  her  fears  in  her  sense  of  the 
ludicrous  at  the  figure  of  the  beast,  which  had 
robbed  some  habitant  of  his  coat  and  hat,  and 
had  carefully  tucked  his  tail  away.  In  his  hand 
he  held  a  cane,  which  he  twisted  in  a  nonchalant 


Legend's  of  Le  Detroit.  119 

manner ;  he  was  a  fair  caricature  of  a  Parisian 
dandy.  Seeing  she  did  not  fly  in  terror,  he  was 
encouraged  to  give  her  a  k)vesick  leer  disphiying 
his  wolflsh  tongue  and  teeth.  Scattering  her 
flowers,  Archange  fled  and  arrived  breathlessly 
home  just  in  time  to  slam  the  door  on  the  wolf, 
which  had  pnrsued  her  there. 

Soon  after  she  joined  Pierre  and  hand  in  hand, 
followed  by  all  the  habitants  in  their  holiday 
attire,  they  entered  the  little  church  of  logs  hewn 
square,  the  interstices  chinked  in  with  clay,  the 
roof  of  overlapping  strips  of  barlv.  In  front  of 
the  altar,  decorated  with  flowers  arranged  by  lov- 
ing hands,  they  knelt.  Father  Freshet,  who  had 
bai^tized  Pierre  and  Archange  and  prej)ared  them 
for  their  flrst  communion,  now  came  to  unite  them 
in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony.  After  the  cere- 
mony they  went  to  the  sacristy  and  inscribed 
their  names  in  the  registry,  then  hurried  off  to 
Pierre's  new  house,  where  the  festivities  were  to 
take  place.  On  the  green  lawn  in  front  of  her 
new  cabin  the  blushing  Archange  greeted  all  her 
friends.  The  Seigneur  of  the  neighborhood  came 
to  claim  the  right  of  premier  baiser  (first  kiss). 
The  refreshments  were  in  abundance  and  all  gave 
themselves  up  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  moment, 
for  the  Canadians  dearly  loved  a  wedding  and 
kept  up  its  festivities  for  days. 


120  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

AVliilst  the  merry  making  was  at  its  height  the 
dreaded  Garou  with  a  rush  like  the  wind  sprang 
into  their  midst,  seized  Archange  and  escaped 
with  her  into  the  forest.  All  were  paralyzed  by 
the  sudden,  daring  deed.  But  Pierre  recovering, 
started  in  quick  pursuit  guided  by  the  despairing 
cry  of  Archange,  followed  by  all  the  men,  whilst 
the  women  and  children  said  their  prayers  and 
gave  vent  to  loud  lamentations.  Long  after  the 
shadows  had  fallen  they  returned  to  report  to  the 
anxious,  trembling  crowd,  and  their  sad,  dejected 
faces  spoke  of  the  fruitlessness  of  their  search. 
The  monster  had  baffled  them.  But  Pierre  re- 
turned not.  He  was  shortly  after  found  by  his 
friends  wandering  around  and  around  a  swamp, 
and  clutching  a  piece  of  white  batiste.  When 
questioned  as  to  how  he  had  obtained  this  clue  to 
Archange,  he  returned  a  maniacal  stare  and  with 
a  blood-curdling  shriek,  would  have  jumped  into 
the  swamp  if  he  had  not  been  held  back  by  his 
companions,  who  with  sorrowful  accents  said  ' '  La 
folie  du  bois."*  He  would  always  return  to  the 
same  swamp,  remaining  there  for  hours  gazing 
vacantly  in  the  weird  reflections  of  its  slimy,  stag- 
nant waters,  until  some  friend  led  him  home. 

*La  folie  du  bois  (the  folly  of  the  -woods)  alludes  to  the  well- 
known  insane  tendency  which  prompts  those  lost  in  the  woods  to 
go  round  in  a  continuous  circle,  instead  of  following  a  direct 
path  which  would  lead  to  a  clearing. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  121 

At  tlie  marriage  of  his  sister,  wliicli  occurred 
iibout  a  year  afterwards,  Pierre,  always  dead  to 
the  outside  world,  seemed  to  be  roused  by  the 
preparations.  After  the  ceremony  he  rushed  into 
the  woods  as  if  in  pursuit  of  something.  He  did 
not  return  until  nearly  sunset  when  he  w^as  seen, 
with  wild  eyes,  flying  hair,  his  clothes  torn  as  if 
by  briers,  chasing  a  Loup  Garou  to  the  very  edge 
of  the  lake.  All  stood  petrified  by  the  strange 
apparition  and  feared  a  repetition  of  Archangels 
fate.  But  the  animal,  seeing  no  escape,  stood  on 
one  of  the  boulders  strewn  along  the  shore  and 
stretched  out  his  arms  as  if  beckoning  to  some 
mysterious  one.  A  large  cattish  was  seen  to  rise 
on  the  surface  of  the  water  and  opening  its  mouth 
the  Loup  Garou  vanished  ;  and  to  this  day  no 
Canadian  will  eat  catfish.  The  footpiint  of  the 
wolf  is  still  shown  at  Grosse  Pointe  indelibly  im- 
pressed on  one  of  the  boulders. 


±Ife^lf^ 


»'^:"*'»Alfc-".. 


THE  OLD  RED  MILL. 


A  Legend  of  the  English.  Rule. 


IN  THE  former  district  of  Springwells  (at  the- 
foot  of  24tli  street),  of  the  present  city  of  De- 
troit, in  1795,  stood  an  old  red  mill.  It  was 
circular  in  form,  and  had  a  stone  foundation  sup- 
porting an  upright  wooden  body,  with  a  conical 
roof. 

It  was  a  weird  sight  on  a  moonlight  night  with 
its  long  arms  stretched  out  as  if  beseeching 
aid,  and  its  tattered  sails  drooping  mournfully 
telling  its  melancholy  story  like  a  flag  at  half- 
mast.  The  beholder  involuntarily  felt  that  creep- 
ing shudder  of  awe  which  contact  with  the  myste- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  12? 

rioiis  mils  i't)illi.  There  are  buildings  like  liunian 
beiiiu's  iijx)!!  wliicli  iinture  places  lier  signot.— a 
history. 

The  Indian,  as  he  returned  from  his  day's  Innit- 
ing,  laden  with  the  trophies  of  his  skill,  pushed 
his  canoe  out  into  the  stream  far  from  its  shadow. 
The  gay,  joyous  voices  in 'the  pleasure  boats  of 
the  officers  of  Fort  Lenoult  were  hushed  as  they 
silently  glided  by,  and  the  coureur  des  bois  who 
had  faced  untold  dangers,  devoutly  crossed  him- 
self as  the  old  red  mill  rose  in  view  on  his  r<>turn 
from  his  distant  and  perilous  expeditions.  On 
winter  evenings,  under  the  genial  warmth  of  a 
hickory  log  and  the  soothing  influence  of  his  ci- 
dre  au  charbon,  the  old  habitant  would  tell  to  his 
children,  who  listened  with  bated  breath,  the 
legend  of  the  old  red  mill. 

Many  years  before,  when  the  English  under  Col. 
Rogers,  hiad  taken  possession  of  Detroit,  tlier& 
lived  at  the  mill  a  Canadian  family  who  had 
adopted  a  daughter  of  the  tril)e  of  Pontiac.  She 
was  beloved  by  a  British  officer,  but  belonging  to 
the  Ottawas  whose  haughty  chief  was  disposed  to 
resist  the  new  comers,  and  residing  among  the 
French  who  looked  sus])i('ioiisly  at  the  invaders, 
waiting  to  see  if  the  promises  made  in  the  treaty 
would  be  ratified  (a  suspicion  which  subsequent 
events  proved  not  without  cause),   it  is  not  to  be 


124  Legends  of  Le  DHroii. 

supposed  that  the  course  of  true  love  could  run 
smoothly.  Yet  love,  which  laughs  in  the  face  of 
all  danger  and  is  prolific  in  resources,  soon  found 
a  means  by  which  the  lovers  could  meet.  It  was 
agreed  upon  by  them  that  a  signal  should  be  giv- 
en when  there  was  no  danger  of  a  surprise, — a 
lighted  candle  to  be  i)laced  in  her  window  ;  quick- 
ly then  would  the  officer  obey  the  summons  of 
his  lady  love. 

Wasson,^'  a  warrior  of  the  Saginaws,  allies  of 
Pontiac,  had  long  loved  the  fair  maiden  and  had 
laid  at  her  feet  the  trophies  of  the  chase,  but  the 
Indian  girl  saw  them  not,  nor  heard  his  pleadings, 
for  her  ears  yearned  for  the  sound  of  another 
voice  whose  soft  accents  had  nestled  in  her  heart 
like  hushed  music.  Wounded  by  his  rejection, 
the  brave  sought  the  cause,  found  it,  and  courted 
revenge  as  his  companion.  Watching  his  oppor- 
tunity when  the  girl  was  alone,  he  upbraided  her 
for  having  forgotten  her  duties  as  an  Indian 
maiden  and  for  deserting  the  traditions  of  her 
race,  and  raising  his  tomahawk  told  her  that  she 
should  pay  the  penalty  of  her  treason  with  her 
life.  As  the  savage's  arm  descended  the  girl  sank 
deluged  in  her  blood.  The  Indian  had  not  com- 
pleted the  sacrifice  ;  one  more  victim  his  revenge 
demanded.     He  lighted  the  candle,  the  secret  of 

*A  noted  warrior,  Wasson  or  Warsong. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  \'1\) 

which  lie  li;i(l  learned,  and  patiently  waited. 
Splashing  oars  and  a  low,  cautions  call  soon  told 
him  that  the  lover  had  obeyed  the  beacon  of  love. 
The  sava.ii'e  glutted  over  his  success  and  waited 
breathlessly  with  w^eapon  poised  to  hurl  at  his  in- 
tended victim  as  he  opened  the  door,  when  sud- 
denly other  footstei)S  were  heard  proclaiming  the 
return  of  the  family.  In  the  general  confusion 
which  ensued  on  the  discovery  of  the  murder  the 
Indian  slipped  away  unnoticed,  balked  for  the 
time  of  half  of  his  revenge.  The  lifeless  remains 
of  the  lovely  victim  were  tenderly  laid  to  rest. 
The  officer  sought  in  the  busy  strife  of  the  period 
to  forget  his  grief,  but  the  Indian's  revenge  only 
slumbered,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  officer  was 
basely  murdered  by  him  while  he  was  detained 
as  a  hostage  at  Pontiac's  camp  at  Bloody  Run.* 
The  mill  was  afterwards  deserted,  but  the  lone- 
ly wayfarer  who  passed  there  at  night  whispered 
strange  stories  of  its  ])eing  haunted  by  an  Indian 
maiden  who  stood  at  a  window  with  a  lighted 
candle. 

*Col.  Campbell,  who  had  gone  with  Lt.  George  McDougall  (o 
Pontiac's  camp  ;  ^tcDouLrall  escaped. 


i 


LA  CHASSE  GALERIE. 


A  Legend  of  the  Canadian  Shore. 

THERE  is  a  strange  resemblance  in  the  legends 
of  the  different  countries  which  leads  one  to 
believe  that  they  derive  their  source  from  the 
same  fountain.  History  ]3]aces  its  signet  on 
some,  mythology  throws  its  classic  veil  over  oth- 
ers, while  the  rest,  like  floating  islands  which 
ever  and  anon  appear  as  bits  of  stray  fairy-land 
in  onr  large  bodies  of  watei',  dazzle  ns  by  their 
beauty,  charm  us  by  their  uniqueness,  and  glide 
away  as  magically  as  they  came,  to  seek  a  shel- 
tered nook  in  some  picturesque  haven.  So  with 
regard  to  many  of  these  legends  once  current 
along  "La  Cote  du  Nord"*  history  is  silent. 

*  "La  Cote  du  Nord."     The  name  by  which  that  section  lying 
east  of  what  is  now  Woodward  avenue  was  called. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  127 

* 
The  charming  ideas  conveyed  in  tliem  seem  akin 

to  the  classic,  but  it  is  only  in  tiie  memory  of 
some  old  habitante  who  has  outlived  her  age  and 
generation  that  they  find  a  revered  niche.  Seated 
by  the  side  of  one  of  these,  whose  hair  the  frosts 
■of  ninety  years  have  bleached,  and  who  has  never 
left  the  banks  of  the  ])eautiful  lake  where  she 
first  drew  the  breath  of  life,  one  can  pick  up 
many  of  these  legends,  carelessly  thrown  aside 
by  this  progressive  age. 

Among  the  traditions  related  by  this  survivor 
of  a  past  generation,  the  best  known  and  oldest 
is  that  of  "La  Chasse  Galerie,"  or  "  The  Spectral 
Aerial  Hunt."  Many  honest,  upright  people  still 
living  will  testify  to  having  seen  this  phenomenon 
at  some  period  of  their  lives.  It  does  not  always 
appear  under  the  same  form.  Sometimes  a  canoe 
is  visible,  manned  by  twelve  men,  and  in  its  prow 
is  a  dog  whose  incessant  barking  attracts  the  at- 
tention or  the  person  who  is  to  see  the  vision. 
Always  to  the  north  flies  the  phantom  boat.  At 
other  times,  dogs  of  a  shaggy  black,  with  droop- 
ing ears,  are  constantly  seen  running  on  the 
water,  barking  as  if  in  tlie  scent  of  game.  Once 
In  seven  years  a  solitary  horseman,  with  gaunt, 
bronzed  face,  rifle  in  hand,  followed  by  his  pack 
of  dogs,  is  seen  in  tli<^  sky  nfter  sunset.     He  who 


128  Legeiids  of  Le  Detroit. 

sees  the  ' '  cliasse  galerie ' '  *  knows  that  it  betokens 
death  either  to  himself  or  to  others  dear  to  him. 

There  once  dwelt  at  Askin  Pointe,  on  the  Cana- 
dian shore,  a  Nimrod  of  the  forest  called  Sebas- 
tien  Lacelle.  So  devoted  to  the  chase  was  he 
that  his  friends  said  that  he  was  born  with  a  gun 
in  his  hand,  and  no  persuasion  of  theirs  could 
induce  him  to  join  them  in  other  sports.  For 
weeks  at  a  time  he  would  be  gone,  and  then 
return  laden  with  game.  After  one  of  these  ex- 
cursions it  was  noticed  that  Sebastien  was  more 
silent  than  usual,  had  little  to  say  of  his  hair- 
breadth escapes,  nor  did  he  boast,  as  was  his 
wont,  of  the  fruits  of  his  trusty  rifle. 

The  mystery  was  soon  solved.  One  day,  tired 
and  weary,  baffled  by  a  deer  he  was  i^ursuing, 
Sebastien  came  to  a  cabin  in  the  woods.  A 
young  girl  was  caressing  a  deer  and  deftly  dress- 
ing a  wound  in  its  side.  Sebastien  recognized  it 
as  the  one  at  which  he  had  shot.  She  was  Zoe 
de  Mersac,  who  had  accompanied  her  father  to 
help  him  extract  the  maple  syrup  from  the  trees. 
In  the  magic  witchcraft  of  her  smile  Sebastien 
buried  his  heart.  Zoe  admired  the  strong  arm 
and  the  vigorous  manhood  which  could  shield 
her  from  the  rough  blasts  of  the  world. 

*  Galerie  is  a  corruption  of  galere,  a  low,  flat  built  vessel  with 
one  deck,  and  propelled  by  sails  or  oars. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  129 

If  was  on  a  glorious  September  day  that  Sebas- 
tien  and  Zoe  were  strolling  along  the  beach, 
discnssing  the  morrow,  whi(;h  was  to  be  their 
wedding  day.  Zoe  was  possessed  of  a  higlily 
nervous  organization  which,  like  the  ^olian  harp, 
is  played  upon  by  each  passing  zephyr,  and  is 
peculiarly  susceptible  to  superstition.  She  was 
telling  her  lover  how  she  feared  her  happiness 
could  not  last  and  spoke  of  that  serrement  du  coeur 
which  seemed  prophetic  of  evil.  Sebastien,  in 
the  superb  enjoyment  of  his  healthy  i:)hysique, 
could  not  sympathize  with  her,  and  only  laughed 
at  her  fears. 

What  had  presentiments  to  do  with  him,  he 
thought ;  would  he  not  be  obliged  to  relinquish  his 
bachelor  habits  and  become  a  serious,  home-stay 
ing  man^  An  unconscious  sigh  escaped  him. 
Raising  his  eyes,  he  abrujitly  left  Zoe.  He  re- 
turned sliortly  afterwards  accom])anied  by  several 
men,  guns  in  hand,  whom  he  had  called  from  the 
"seines"  near  by,  and  followed  by  Sebastien' s 
dog.  Chasseur.  Whilst  his  friends  were  loosening 
the  boat  from  its  moorings  Sebastien  joined  his 
hancee  who  asked  him  to  explain  the  cause  of 
his  sudden  departure.  He  pointed  to  a  flock  of 
ducks  flying  towards  the  flats  (an  unusual  occur- 
rence at  that  season )  and  said  he  was  going  for 
a  farewell  hunt.     As  soon  as  she  heard  this  she 


130  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

hid  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  the  slender,  girlish 
figure  was  convulsed.  In  accents  tremulous  with 
unshed  tears,  she  besought  him  not  to  leave  her, 
for  if  he  did,  he  would  never  return.  Sebastien 
tried  to  reason  with  her,  but  it  was  of  no  avail. 
He  petted  her  and  tried  those  arts  in  which  the 
lover  is  so  proficient.  She  told  him  that  she  had 
heard  the  past  night  the  screech-owl  in  the  wil- 
low tree  near  her  window,  at  the  same  time  tlie 
Ibarking  of  dogs  and  ringing  of  bells  in  the  air — 
doleful  foreshado wings  of  ap^iroaching  disaster. 

Sebastien  gazed  tenderly  into  the  upturned 
face,  so  pathetic  in  its  tearful  appeal,  and  felt  his 
resolve  melting  away.  But  the  impatient  call  of 
his  friends  and  a  shy  feeling  of  being  laughed 
at  prompted  him  to  hastily  say  good-bye  to  his 
promised  bride.  "When  shall  you  return?" 
asked  Zoe.  "To-morrow  at  dawn,  dead  or  alive, 
sure,"  he  jestingly  added,  to  quiet  her  fears. 
Soon  the  hunters  were  off.  Sebastien  waved  the 
end  of  his  red  sash  and  Chasseur  barked  a  Jubi- 
lant farewell,  for  he  seemed  to  share  his  master's 
love  of  the  chase. 

At  early  dawn  Zoe  came  to  the  shore  to  wel- 
come the  returning  hunters.  She  seated  herself 
on  one  of  the  great  boulders  which  are  strewn 
upon  the  shores  of  the  lake,  thrown  there  by  the 
Indian  spirit  Manabozbo,  who  cast  them  at  his 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  \.?A 

father  in  his  memorable  combat.  Seldom  had  so 
glorious  a  scene  burst  on  her  view  and  all  was  in 
harmony  with  lier  nature.  The  dark  forests 
melted  witli  azure  softness,  the  magical  veil  of 
misty  golden  haziness  hung  over  everything, 
transforming  the  scene  into  a  sea  of  gold  dissolved 
in  rainbow  tints.  Lake,  sky,  land,  all  seemed 
flooded  and  transfigured.  The  indescril)able 
shades  flowed  into  each  other  with  a  beauty 
which,  while  enchanting,  was  the  despair  of  the 
artist.  The  girl  drank  in  the  delicious  draught  of 
loveliness,  and  thought  if  this  was  the  dawn  of  a 
perfect  earthly  day  which  must  die  in  all  its  splen- 
dor, what  must  be  that  of  the  eternal  one  in  its 
undying  beauty.  To-day  was  her  wedding  day  ! 
Why  did  Sebastien  tarry '{  Had  he  not  a  loving- 
impatience  to  meet  his  bride  ?  Hour  after  hour 
she  waited,  sending  forth  her  petitions  to  Ste. 
Anne,  the  patroness  of  inariners,  to  guide  her 
Sebastien  back.  Others  whose  husbands  and 
brothers  had  gone  with  Sebastien  joined  her  in 
her  weary  watchings.  Night  came  but  brought 
no  returning  hunters.  Day  after  day  Zou  stir 
came  to  the  beach,  questioning  the  vast  wate] 
and  the  horizon  for  Sebastien.  Winter  passe 
spring  again  hung  her  bright  blossoms  on  ^ 
trees,  bu^  Sebastien  came  not  to  gladden 
the  sorrow-haunted  heart  of  the  girl.     Yet 


182  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

seemed  cheerful,  as  if  buoyed  up  by  some  inward 
hope.  She  constantly  said  that  her  lover  would 
return  to  claim  her,^ — he  had  promised  and  he 
had  never  deceived  any  one.  Once,  shortly  after 
he  left,  she  had  heard  Sebastien's  voice,  and  look- 
ing up  saw  him  in  a  boat  in  the  clouds.  Chas- 
seur was  with  him,  and  Sebastien  said  :  "I  will 
come  for  you  in  a  year  and  a  day."  Then  to- 
wards the  north  the  mystic  apparition  glided  and 
the  voice  died  away  in  the  moaning  wind. 

It  was  a  year  and  a  day.  The  i3ale  cheek  with 
its  hectic  flush,  the  fragile  figure,  the  transparent 
hand  told  that  this  was  a  blossom  for  the  grave, 

Zoe  desired  that  she  should  be  dressed  as  a 
bride  and  carried  to  the  beach  to  watch  for  her 
bridegroom.  Her  chair  was  brought  to  the  place 
she  designated.  The  scene  was  by  a  strange  co- 
incidence of  nature,  nearly  the  same  as  on  the 
bright  day  she  waited  Sebastien's  return.  IS^ature 
seemed  anxious  that  the  dying  girl  should  take 
the  sweetest  and  most  beautiful  memories  of 
earth  with  her.  The  wakening  waves  chanted 
their  low  matins  as  they  broke  at  her  feet,  the 
irds   greeted   her  with  jubilant  notes   and   the 

ft,  balmy  air  played  hide  and  seek  through  the 
shes  of  her  hair. 

tie  maiden  heeded    not   the    beauty   of    the 
);  her  eyes  were  intently  fixed  on  a  spot  in 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  133 

the  skies.  Suddenly  ail  ecstatic  expession  crept 
over  her  face,  and  raising  herself  up  she  ex- 
claimed, "Seel  see!  there  is  Sebastien  in  the 
boat ;  he  beckons  to  me,  and  Chasseur  is  barking 
so  joyously  !  Did  I  not  tell  you  he  would  come 
for  me?  Sebastien,  I  come,  I  come."  And  the 
pure  spirit  of  the  girl  leaped  from  its  mortal 
tenement  to  rejoin  that  of  her  spirit  bride- 
groom. Her  awe-stricken  friends  looked  where 
she  pointed  and  saw  a  phantom  boat  drifting  on 
a  billow  of  clouds,  and  distinctly  heard  the  echo 
of  a  barking  dog  as  the  vision  melted  into  the 
boundless  blue. 


XIX 

LE  FEU  FOLLET. 


A  Iiegrend''of  Grosse  Isle. 

BOUT  fifteen  miles  below  De- 
troit lies  the  beautiful  island 
called  Grosse  Isle,  it  being 
the  largest  of  the  group  be- 
tween Lakes  Erie  and  Sainte 
Claire. 

Its  wonderful  fertility,  the  luxuriant  growth  of 
its  forest  trees  and  the  beauty  of  its  situation  so 
wove  the  spell  of  its  seductive  charm  around  the 
heart  of  an  English  officer,  that  he  resolved  to  re- 
sign and  sjoend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  this 
enchanting  retreat.  His  name  was  William  Ma- 
comb. He  was  of  Scottish  extraction,  and  he  had 
come  to  Detroit  with  the  English  troops  in  1760. 
Macomb  obtained  an  Indian  grant  for  his  coveted 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  135 

treasure,  and  soon  improvements  arose,  testifying 
his  earnest  desire  to  make  himself  comfortable  in 
his  island  home.  In  1808  his  heirs,  John,  Wil- 
liam and  David,  through  their  attorney,  Solo- 
mon Sibley,  and  their  agent,  Angus  Mcintosh,  re- 
ceived full  acknowledgment  from  the  American 
Government.  Energy,  enterprise  and  adminis- 
trative ability  were  inseparable  from  the  name  of 
Macomb,  one  of  its  members,  xVlexander,  be- 
coming general-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States.  Grosse  Isle,  Belle  Isle,*  and 
large  tracts  of  land  in  Detroit,  belonged  to  this 
family,  and  if  retained  until  the  present  time 
would  have  made  them  immensely  wealthy. 
The  lavish  hospitality  and  unbounded  extrava- 
gance which  characterized  all  the  old  families 
during  the  military  epoch,  compelled  a  gradual 
transfer  of  property.  But  some  of  the  descendants, 
though  no  longer  bearing  the  family  name,  still 
preserve  homesteads  on  Grosse  Isle. 

*See  page  273  and  page  479  Land  Titles  in  the  Michigan  Terri- 
tory American  State  Papers  xvi.,  vol.  1,  Pul)lic  Lands. 

^Eonday,  December  2,  1805. 

John,  William  and  David  Macomb  claimed  an  island  situated 
in  the  Strait,  three  miles  above  Detroit,  called  Hog  Island.  It  con- 
tains 704  acres,  was  surveyed  b}-  Mr.  Bo^'d  in  1771,  and  purchased 
from  the  Indians  of  tiie  Ottawa  and  Chippewa  nations  in  council, 
under  direction  of  his  Majesty's  commanderin-chicf,  and  con- 
veyed to  Lt.  George  McDougall,  whose  heirs  sold  it  to  Wm.  >ra- 
comb  in  1793. 


136  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Cotemporary  with  the  Macombs  was  the  family 
of  the  Navarres.  Robert  1st  of  the  name,  was 
fifth  in  descent  from  Antoine,  Duke  of  Vendome, 
half-brother  of  Henry  4th  of  Navarre.  He  came 
to  Detroit  in  1730  as  sub-intendant  of  Louis  XI Y, 
having  entire  control  of  all  the  affairs  of  the 
French  Government  outside  of  the  military  au- 
thority, in  this  j)art  of  la  Nouvelle  France.  His 
children  and  grandchildren  became  an  honor  to 
him,  and  j)roverbial  for  their  great  beauty  and 
Bourbon  faces.  They  so  married  and  intermar- 
ried with  the  Macombs,  that  it  was  difficult  to 
say  where  one  family  ended  and  the  other  began. 

William  Macomb,  Jr.,  had  become  the  humble 
captive  of  the  beautiful  Monique  Navarre,  a 
granddaughter  of  "Robert  the  Writer,"  as  he 
was  called.  He  had  invited  her  with  her  brother 
Robert,  to  visit  the  island  during  the  sultry  Au- 
gust weather,  and  one  morning  they  embarked  in 
their  little  sailboat  to  drink  in  the  refreshing 
breezes  from  Lake  Erie.  On  landing  before  the 
Macomb  mansion  they  were  disappointed  to  learn 
that  the  family  had  been  called  to  Elba  Island, 
just  below,  by  the  death  of  a  friend,  but  the 
"pani'"^  slave  left  in  attendance  assured  them 

*At  the  time  referred  to  slavery  was  universal,  and  orginally 
all  prisoners  taken  in  Indian  wars,  who  were  not  whites,  were  called 
by  the  French  "  Pani " — spelled  by  the  English  to  conform  with  the 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit  137 

they  must  come  in  and  make  themselves  comfort- 
able, as  Master  William  had  left  word,  thinking- 
it  possible  that  the  visitors  would  come,  that  he 
would  reach  home  by  sunset.  The  aspect  of  the 
sky  silenced  all  hesitancy,  as  one  of  those  sudden 
storms  born  only  on  a  sultiy,  tropical  day,  swept 
over  the  island. 

As  the  vivid  flashes  darted  across  the  water, 
Monique,  who  was  of  a  nervous  temperament, 
begged  the  pani  slav(^  to  split  off  fj-agnientsof  the 
Christmas  log  (usually  preserved  half-burnt  from 
year  to  year)  and  to  throw  them  on  the  fire,  •'  to 
prevent  the  thunder  from  falling;"  then,  glanc- 
ing at  the  door  and  seeing  a  branch  of  white 
thorn  suspended  there  she  became  tranquil.  This 
bush  was  considered  a  divine  lightning  rod,  the 
superstition  probably  arising  from  the  fact  that 
its  thorny  branches  crowned  the  Saviour  s  head. 
An  old  legend  says  that  wherever  drops  of  His 
precious  blood  fell,  flowers  sprang  forth.  A  por- 
tion of  this  crown  is  still  seen  in  the  relics  of  the 
Holy  Koman  Empire  in  the  government  collection 
at  Vienna."^ 


pronunciation,  "Pawnee."    The  world  gradually  came  to  mean  a 

person  of  mixed  Indian  and  negro  blood,  and  is  so  vised  in  tliis 
narrative. 

*  Another  superstition  was  that  a  piece  of  bread  whicli  had  been 
"Wesscd  at  three  Cliristmas  masses  would  preserve  a  house  from 
harm. 


138  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Gradually  the  storm  subsided,  but  the  shadows- 
of  night  crept  swiftly  on  and  still  the  family  re- 
turned not.  Suddenly  a  sharp,  shrill  whistle  fell 
on  the  expectant  ears,  startling  all  to  their  feet. 
Monique,  who  had  been  gazing  vaguely  into  the 
twilight,  slammed  the  blinds  together  hurriedly 
exclaiming,  "  Itis  the  feu  follet  dancing  over  the 
fields,  and  if  I  had  not  shut  it  out,  it  would  have 
entered  and  strangled  us.  Le  Bon  Dieu  preserve 
William  and  the  others." 

"A  truce  to  your  fears,  ma  soeur,"  answered 
Robert.  ' '  They  can  take  care  of  themselves,  but 
as  it  is  clearing  up  we  will  soon  go  in  search  of 
them."  Thus  did  he  soothe  the  nervous  girl ;  for 
himself  he  had  no  fears,  and  being  a  student  at  ^ 
the  bar,  naturally  felt  little  respect  for  the  higher 
powers  or  the  devil. 

Like][other  scoffers  of  the  period  he  thought 
the  feu  follet  merely  inflammable  gases  arising 
from  miasmatic  exhalations  of  swampy  lands. 
Monique  and  many  others  thought  this  "an  easy 
way  of  explaining  it. ' '  Had  they  lived  in  our  days 
they  would  have  found  a  great  number  who  attrib- 
ute to  [electricity  things  which  they  can  not  ex- 
plain. 

"Tell  me  all  about  the  feu  follet,  chere 
soeur,"  said  Robert,  anxious  to  divert  her  and 
lull  her  apprehensions.     A  glad  light  of  pleasure- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  139 

stole  into  her  eyes,  and  a  tender  blusli  suffused 
her  face,  battling  with  that  tiiumx)hant  expres- 
sion which  every  woman  wears  when  she  thinks 
she  has  won  a  convert  to  her  opinions. 

' '  Mon  f rere,  the  feu  f ollet  are  not  always  con- 
sidered dangerous.  When  twin  lights  are  seen 
stealing  along  in  the  soft  twilight  they  are  called 
'Castor  and  Pollux,'  and  this  is  a  happy  omen. 
But  when  a  single  intense  light  appears  it  is 
named  'Helene,'  and  he  who  sees  it  must  at  once 
throw  himself  on  the  ground  covering  his  face, 
for  so  seductive  is  its  fascination  that  it  allures 
him  to  deserted  bogs  and  steep  ravines,  and  leaves 
him  to  die.  There  is  a  Norman  tradition  which 
exists  among  the  habitants  coming  from  Caen,  in 
Normandy,  that  the  feu  follet  are  divided  into 
two  species,  the  male  and  female,  and  are  sup- 
posed to  be  the  souls  of  those  who  have  sinned 
against  purity.  These  people  of  the  Norman  race 
also  call  maidens  who  have  fallen  from  grace  '  f ou- 
rolle,'  as  fourolle  Jeanne,  fourolle  Katishe,  and 
believe  that  the  evil  one  gives  them  the  power  of 
divesting  themselves  of  their  body,  and  transform- 
ing into  a  bright  light  which  runs  'en  fourolle,' 
leading  many  to  destruction  who  mistake  it  for 
some  friendly  signal  when  astray  in  swampy 
places.'" 

As  Monique  finished  her  explanaj^ion  she  rose 


140  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

and  insisted  that  they  should  go  in  search  of  the 
host  and  family.  They  started  out  followed  by 
the  i)ani,  who  held  his  blazing  pine  knot  which 
threw  its  uncertain  light  on  the  pathw^ay  and 
made  a  weird  tableau  as  its  flickering  rays  alter- 
nately bathed  the  little  procession  in  light,  then 
in  shadows  They  made  the  woods  resound  with 
their  shouts,  but  no  answering  call  greeted  their 
anxious  ears,  and  the  pani  expressed  his  anx- 
iety, as  "Master  AVilliam  had  surely  promised 
to  return,  and  he  never  knew  him  to  fail  in  spite 
of  rain  or  sunshine."  At  last,  as  they  proceeded 
on  their  doleful  journey,  the  ground  grew  miry 
and  swampy,  while  the  dismal  croaking  of  frogs 
and  the  sickly  miasmatic  odors  added  to  tlieir 
dread  forebodings.  Just  then,  when  the  saddest 
presentiments  were  invading  the  hearts  of  the 
courageous  searchers,  Monique  uttered  one  last 
despairing  cry  in  which  all  the  energy  of  her  na- 
ture seemed  centered,  so  anxious  was  she  it  should 
reach  the  lost  one.  Instantaneously  the  sharp 
report  of  a  pistol  startled  from  their  nests  the 
little  birds  which  fluttered  around  chirx^ing  jDlain- 
tively,  as  if  seeking  companionship  from  the 
invaders  of  their  solitary  and  mournful  abode. 
Following  the  sound  of  the  pistol,  the  searchers 
saw  in  the  swamp  an  object  in  the  w^ater,  and 
soon   their  willing  hands   had  made   a   sort  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  141 

bridge  wliicli  enabled  them  to  appioacli  it.  It 
proved  to  ])e  the  lost  wanderer,  hopelessly  strug- 
gling in  the  miry  embrace.  He  was  extricated 
from  his  perilous  position  and  the  little  i)roces- 
sion  went  back  rejoicing. 

On  arriving  at  home,  seated  at  the  hospitable 
table,  William  related  his  adventure.  As  soon 
as  the  storm  subsided  he  had  started  homeward  ; 
the  remainder  of  the  familj'  were  to  stay  at 
Elba  until  the  morning.  In  the  darkness  he  had 
lost  his  way,  and  seeing  a  bright  light  liad  fol- 
lowed it.  As  he  drew  nearer  it  appeared  to 
recede  until  he  found  himself  plunged  into  the 
swamp.  He  cried  out  for  hel})  until  exhausted, 
and  his  only  answer  was  the  mocking  laughter  of 
goblins.  Realizing  the  hopelessness  of  his  posi- 
tion, he  commended  his  spirit  to  his  Maker  and 
calndy  awjdted  the  result.  Suddenly  it  seemed 
to  him  as  if  the  voice  of  his  loved  one  was  borne 
to  his  ears  to  soften  the  anguish  of  his  last  mo- 
ments. Then  other  voices  came  so  distinctly  that 
he  awoke  from  his  lethargy,  and  thinking  it  pos- 
sible that  friends  had  heard  his  former  cries  for 
help,  fired  his  pistol. 

"  It  was  the  feu  follet,  mon  ami,  which  led  you 
astray.  You  cannot  say  you  do  not  believe  in  it 
now,"  said  Monitpie,  as  she  glanced  archly  at  her 
lover. 


142  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

"Anything  yon  believe  in  will  suit  me  now 
and  for  all  time,". said  the  gallant  William. 

So  on  the  next  feast  day  they  stood  before  the 
altar  of  Ste.  Anne's  in  Detroit,  and  were  made  one 
forever. 


THE  FEAST  OF  ST.  JEAN. 


A  Legrend  of  Sandwich. 

IT  WAS  the  eve  of  Pentecost  which  fell  amid 
the  roses  of  June  in  1790. 
There  was  a  great  commotion  in  the  spacious 
kitchen  of  Dominique  Gaudet,  who  lived  near  the 
church  on  the  banks  of  the  Detroit.  Tlie  hurry- 
ing to  and  fro  of  busy  feet,  the  gleeful  voices  of 
merriment,  mingled  with  the  clatter  of  dishes, 
fragments  of  song  and  the  deeper  bass  tones  of 
the  men,  formed  an  admirable  orchestra  of  babel 
and  confusion  ;  for  on  the  morrow  it  was  Domi- 
nique who  was  to  present  the  joa*?!-  henit  {blessed 
bread)  and  its  accessory  cousins  (a  kind  of  cake") 
to  be  distributed  at  high  mass.  Each  family 
along  la  cote  in  turn  furnished  them,  save  at  the 
Assumption  (15th  of  August)  when  a  portion  of 


144  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

tlie  Huron  tribe  came  to  camp  in  the  grove  near 
tlie  church  and  claimed  the  j^rivilege,  as  they  had 
donated  the  ground.  Josephte  and  Lizette,  the 
pani  slaves,  were  industriously  kneading  the  huge 
mass  of  dough  in  the  wooden  Tiuche  (trough)  whilst 
Soulange  Gaudet,  with  her  sleeves  rolled  up  dis- 
playing the  dimi)led  arms,  and  her  mignonne  face 
and  hair  all  powdered  with  flour,  was  trying  to 
plait  the  refractory  dough  into  the  semblance  of 
a  large  wreath.  This  "  couronne  "  was  the  orna- 
ment on  the  top  loaf,  and  was  always  detached 
after  mass  and  sent  as  a  token  to  the  person 
whose  turn  it  w^ould  be  to  prepare  the  jpain  henit 
for  the  next  feast.  At  a  table  was  a  gay  bevy  of 
girls  who  were  cutting  the  cousins  into  palm 
shapes,  and  with  a  feather  brushing  the  top  of 
them  with  egg  and  sugar.  La  dame  Gaudet  re- 
ceived them  and  placed  them  in  the  big  four 
(oven).  The  light  from  the  open  chimney  threw 
its  flickering  gleams  around,  lighting  up  the  joy- 
ous faces  and  producing  a  Rembrandt  effect  of 
light  and  shade.  It  was  a  charming  study  for  an 
artist's  pencil.  Soulange  with  two  or  three  of  her 
companions  having  completed  their  task,  brushed 
the  flour  from  their  hair  and  dresses  and  strolled 
along  the  banks  to  cool  their  heated  cheeks.  The 
twilight  shades  were  deepening  and  the  rosy  re- 
flection in  the  sky  left  its  promise  of  a  beautiful 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  145 

morrow,  Tliey  were  i)resently  joined  by  several 
young  men  who  had  come  to  help  them  carry  the 
^yiin  henit  and  eovi^'niK  to  tlie  church.  Wliilst  they 
were  gayly  chatting  Soulange,  who  seemed  dis- 
trait and  anxiously  waiting  for  somebody,  sud- 
denly called  attention  to  an  object  in  the  Avater. 
They  could  distinguish  the  iigure  of  a  man  who 
was  apparently  seated  on  the  water.  No  canoe 
was  visible,  and  yet  he  seemed  to  glide  along  by 
the  aid  of  a  paddle.  Whilst  speculating  on  the 
strange  phenomenon,  the  increasing  darkness  hav- 
ing i)revented  close  insi^ection,  the  sound  of  some- 
thing grating  on  the  sand  near  them  and  a  merry 
laugh,  caused  all  to  hurry  down  to  the  beach. 
They  were  greeted  by  David  Fisher,  who  resided 
in  Detroit.  "Handsome  David,"  as  he  was  called, 
was  a  gay,  dashing  Kentuckian  who  had  fal- 
len in  love  with  "la  belle  Soulange"  when  she 
had  visited  her  friends  in  Detroit.  He  was  a 
great  favorite,  and  spoke  French  like  a  native,  and 
his  easy,  debonnaire  manner  carried  captive  the 
hearts  of  the  old  and  young.  The  amazement  of 
the  party  was  intense  when  they  found  that  Da- 
vid's canoe  was  a  wheelbarrow. -^  He  laughed  at 
their  pei"plexed  looks  and  briefly  explained  that 

*Fact:  A  feat  performed  by  Pierre  Godfrey  in  fulfillment  of 
a  bet. 

10 


140  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

he  had  found  no  one  to  row  him  over  and  no  boat 
to  be  had,  so  he  had  devised  this  new  method — • 
a  feat  as  difficult  as  Leonidas  swimming  the  Hell- 
espont, and  no  less  romantic.  A  summons  from  the 
house  announced  that  all  the  things  were  in  readi- 
ness to  be  carried  to  the  church.  As  they  wended 
their  way,  each  laden  with  something,  the  gay  peals 
of  laughter  that  rang  on  their  retreating  steps  told 
those  who  listened  that  David  was  in  high  humor, 
and  amusing  as  usual  with  his  sparkling  jests  and 
jeu  d' esprit.  In  the  sanctuary  they  arranged  the 
pain  henit  generally  four  in  number  and  round 
in  shape.  The  largest  was  placed  first  on  a  table, 
then  layers  of  cousins  and  so  on  until  the  top 
loaf  and  its  "couronne"  covered  the  structure. 
Little  silk  flags  were  stuck  here  and  there,  form- 
ing a  charming  and  unique  pyramid. 

Pentecost  morning  dawned  bright  and  beautiful 
and  the  church  was  crowded.  At  the  Credo  the 
Sacristan,  with  his  slow,  measured  step,  approach- 
ed Soulange  and  presented  her  with  a  silver  plate 
he  held  in  his  hand.  With  nervous  trepidation 
she  had  awaited  this  moment,  for  she  was  the 
"queteuse"  of  the  day.  She  arose  with  a  digni- 
fied composure,  of  which  only  the  fleeting  color, 
as  it  came  and  went  in  her  cheek,  betrayed  the 
effort.  She  walked  to  the  altar  railing  and  knelt, 
then   rising,    presented  her  plate  at  each   pew 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  147 

for  tlie  collection,  acknowledging  the  offering 
by  a  sweeping  courtewy,  whose  perfection  was 
attained  by  many  an  anxious  hour  of  practice. 
The  bread  was  blessed.  The  Sacristan  gradually 
stripped  the  pyrandd,  cut  the  bread  and  distrib- 
uted it  to  each  person,  who  making  the  sign  of 
the  cross,  ate  it  in  silence  as  a  symbol  of  the 
unity  that  should  reign  among  Christians,  who 
are  all  members  of  the  same  family. 

After  mass  there  were  hand-shakings  and  greet- 
ings. The  scene  was  a  most  X)icturesque  one.  In 
front  the  broad  liver  swept  majestically  ;  beneath 
the  cool  shade  of  the  trees  were  spread  snowy 
white  tablecloths,  forming  a  contrast  to  the  green 
verdure,  around  which  were  seated  those  habi- 
tants who  lived  too  far  to  return  for  vespers, 
awai  ting  their  meal .  A  number  had  gathered  about 
the  hedeau  (Sacristan),  who,  arrayed  in  his  long  blue 
redingote  and  carrick  cape  edged  with  red,  was 
crying  out  in  a  stentorian  voice  :  "  Avertisement ! 
Avertisement ! "  Newspapers  being  then  un- 
known in  those  regions,  this  was  the  only  medium 
of  advertising  an  auction,  a  lost  cow,  or  stray 
child.  Soulange  was  joined  by  her  lover,  David, 
and  they  together  visited  the  various  grouj^s 
seated  on  the  grass,  with  whom  they  exclianged 
the  compliments  of  the  day.  Several  children, 
catching    a  glimpse  of  David,    insisted   on    his 


148  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

taking  them  to  one  of  the  booths,  which  looked 
like  wigwams  covered  with  fresh  branches  of 
maple,  and  displayed  a  tempting  array  of  maple 
sugar  and  "  crocxuecignoles." 

That  evening  David  and  Soulange  agreed  they 
would  be  married  at  midsummer,  for  then  "the 
fairies  would  dance  at  the  wedding  "  David  laugh- 
ingly said.  Happy  was  Soulange  these  days  ;  her 
voice  rippled  with  the  melody  of  joy  which  surged 
from  a  heart  filled  with  love  and  tenderness. 

And  "Merry  !  merry  !   merry  !" 

Rang  the  bells  of  every  hour, 
And  "happy,  happy,  happy!" 

In  her  valley  laughed  the  flower. 

As  the  weeks  passed  which  measured  the  time 
before  Soulange' s  wedding  a  shadow  was  creeping 
over  her  horizon  which  would  rob  the  smiling 
lips  of  laughter  and  smother  forever  her  sunshine 
of  happiness.  Vague  reports  floated  on  the  idle 
wings  of  rumor,  of  a  disagreement  between  David 
and  an  officer,  which,  though  contradicted,  left  an 
impression  of  uneasiness  in  those  who  knew  the 
gallant,  warm-hearted,  yet  reckless  Fisher. 

It  was  an  open  glade  below  Sandwich  that 
the  sun  flooded  brightly  on  an  August  morning. 
The  sparkling  waters  were  sporting  with  the  first 
golden  beams  ;  the  branches  of  the  trees  in  the 
woods  skirting  the  field  swayed  lazily  to  the  woo- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  149 

iwp;  bretv.e.  Tlu,'  llowers  were  still  bathed  in  dew 
and  in  tlieir  moist  mass  were  flung  instruments 
of  death.  In  the  midst  of  an  awe  stricken  group 
lay  a  handsome,  manly  form,  whose  life  was 
slowly  el)))ing  away.  The  glory  of  the  sunrise 
and  the  birds  gushing  forth  their  melodies, 
seemed  a  mockery  to  that  sad  scene,  whilst  an 
immortal  soul  was  winging  its  flight  to  the  un- 
known world.  The  surgeon  who  had  knelt  beside 
the  prostrate  form  arose  ;  the  pulse  was  stilled 
forever. 

The  news  of  the  duel  and  its  fatal  consequences 
was  soon  known,  and  the  shore  was  lined  with 
people.  Soulange  attracted  by  the  crowd,  came 
to  inquire  the  cause.  A  hushed  whispering  and 
sympathetic  glances  greeted  her,  whilst  a  pair  of 
loving  hands  imprisoned  her  and  tried  to  lead  her 
home.  With  a  great  fear  over  her  which  lent 
her  strength,  she  wrenched  herself  awa}^  and  flew 
to  the  beach.  Two  canoes  were  being  slowly 
rowed  up  the  stream  towing  a  third,  over  which 
a  blanket  was  thrown,  the  ends  trailing  mourn- 
fully in  the  water.  The  heads  of  the  roAvers  were 
bowed  and  their  attitude  denoted  grief  and  sor- 
row. The  sun  had  veiled  itself  behind  the  clouds 
as  if  in  pity.  A  solemn  silence  reigned,  born 
only  in  death's  awful  presence;  men  uncovered 
their  heads  and  furtively  brushed  away  a  stray 


150  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

tear  ;  women  clasped  convulsively  their  babes  to 
their  breasts  and  murmured  a  prayer  for  that  sol- 
itary figure  v^^hich  stood  on  the  beach.  A  clear 
voice  pierced  the  ominous  silence.  "Bring  him 
here,"  it  said,  and  those  who  heard  it  would  long 
remember  it,  for  a  human  heart  lay  broken  in  its 
accents.  Unconsciously  the  imperious  order  was 
obeyed  and  the  canoe  allowed  to  drift  to  her  feet. 
Quick  as  lightning,  deaf  to  the  expressions  of 
sympathy  which  burst  forth  from  the  multitude, 
she  raised  the  blanket  and  saw  the  dead  face  of 
her  lover. 

Years  had  passed  since  that  sad  occurrence,, 
when  one  Sunday  the  good  priest  of  the  Church 
of  the  Assumption  recommended  to  the  prayers  of 
the  faithful  the  soul  of  Soeur  Therese  of  the  Grey 
Order  of  Montreal,  who  had  recently  died  after 
a  life  of  penance  and  mortification.  In  the  world 
she  had  been  known  as  Soulange  Gaudet. 


XXI 


HAMTRAMCK^S  LOVE. 


A  Legrend  of  Wayne's  Occupation. 


QUARTER  of  a  century 
had  ]>assed  since  Pontiac 
and  liis  savage  hordes  bat- 
tled in  vain  against  the 
cedar  ramparts  of  old  Fort 
Pontchartrain.  The  Amer- 
ican Colonies  had  thrown 
off  the  yoke  of  the  mother  country  and  proclaimed 
their  independence.  Remote  from  the  scene  of 
conflict  the  French  settlement  along  Le  Detroit 
had  begun  to  recover  from  tlie  devastations  of 
their  Indian  neighbors.  Among  the  habitants 
it  was  whispered  that  for  the  third  time  their  flag 
was  to  be  changed.  Without  asking  their  con- 
sent  their  allegiance  was  to  be  claimed  by  the 


152  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

"  Bostonnais"*  or  Yankees,  whose  star  at  present 
was  in  the  ascendant.  This  rumor  gave  rise  to 
diverse  sentiments.  Some  of  the  settlers  felt  the 
spark  of  liberty  kindling  in  their  breasts,  and 
hailed  the  change  as  a  merited  overthrow  of  the 
haughty  English,  their  hereditary  foes.  Others, 
now  that  the  lieur  de  lis  w^as  withdrawn,  saw  their 
only  safety  and  strength  under  the  cross  of  St. 
George.  The  Elliots,  Babys,  Askins,  and  McKees 
were  among  the  prominent  Canadians  of  the  latter 
class,  while  Robert  Navarre,  Jr.,  the  Chevalier 
Chabert  de  la  Joncaire,  Louis  Descomptes  La- 
badie  and  their  influential  followers  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  rising  young  republic.  In  1786  Rob- 
ert Navarre,  eldest  son  of  the  old  sub-in tendant, 
accompanied  by  his  beautiful  daughter  Marianne, 
visited  Philadelphia.  The  French  colonists  sought 
through  him  to  ascertain  precisely  what  was  to  be 
their  status  under  the  new  government.  Among 
the  many  illustrious  men  of  the  day  to  whom 
Navarre  was  presented  was  Maj.  Gen.  Arthur 
St.  Clair,  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  late  revo- 
lutionary war.  His  spirited  daughter,  Louisa  St. 
Clair,  at  once  became  interested  in  Marianne  Na- 
varre, the  brilliant,  piquante  beauty  of  the  fron- 

*  Bostonaais.  A  name  given  to  the  Americans  by  the  French  of 
Quebec,  and  from  thence  the  term  spread  among  all  the  Canadians. 
"The  Bostonnais"  is  a  charmingly  written  book  by  L'Esperance, 
a  tale  of  the  American  invasion  of  Canada  in  1775-76. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  153 

tier.  On  the  organization  of  a  government  for 
the  North  West  Territory  (which  comprised  all 
the  American  possessions  west  of  the  Alleghanies) 
Oen.  St.  Clair  was  appointed  Governor,  and  a 
number  of  the  most  popular  ofiicers  of  the  revolu- 
tion given  important  positions.*  These  pioneers, 
w^lio  had  crossed  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania 
on  horse  back,  settled  on  one  of  the  picturesque 
bends  of  the  Belle  Riviere  (Ohio).  Here  they 
founded  Marietta,  so  called  after  the  lovely  and 
ill-fated  Marie  Antoinette  of  France,  the  fast 
friend  of  the  patriots  in  their  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence. 

Louisa  St.  Clair,-  who  had  not  forgotten  the 
little  Norman  friend  whom  she  had  met  in  Phila- 
delphia, w^rote  to  her  as  soon  as  she  was  settled  at 
Marietta,  challenging  her  to  cross  the  intervening 
"Black  Swamp"  and  visit  her  in  her  new  home. 
Marianne  came  from  too  good  a  pioneer  stock  to 
shrink  from  any  hardships,  especially  where  it 
promised  an  adventure.     So,  accompanied  by  her 

*A  court  was  [eJ^tiiblislied  ami  the  jiuli^cs  authorized  to  iircpare 
a  code  of  laws.  Maj.  Gen.  Samuel  Iloidea  Parsons,  the  rival  of 
St.  Clair  for  the  appointment  of  Governor,  was  appointed  Ciiief 
Justice,  with  Judge  Cleves  Sj'mmes  and  Gen.  Jos.  M.  Varum  as 
Associate  Judges.  The  former  was  great -grandfatlier  of  Theo. 
Parsons  Hall,  of  Detroit,  and  the  descendants  of  Judge  Syinmcs 
reside  in  Louisville,  Ky.  In  this  first  court  of  the  North  West, 
Judge  Solomon  Sibley,  Gen.  Lewis  Cass,  Col.  Ebenezer  Sjiroat, 
and  others  well  known  in  Detroit,  took  their  first  lessons  in  law. 


154  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

relative,  Antoine  Gamelin,  with  a  band  of  friendly 
Indians  and  her  faithful  pani  slave,  slie  performed 
the  perilous  journey  in  safety.  On  her  arrival  she 
found  Marietta  a  scene  of  life  and  excitement.  The 
newly  organized  First  Regiment  of  U.  S.  Infantry 
was  then  on  its  way  to  garrison  Vincennes.  Its- 
corps  of  gay  officers,  among  whom  was  Col.  John 
Francis  Hamtramck  (then  Major),  made  the  days 
speed  merrily  and  happily  for  the  young  maidens. 
Hamtramck  had,  much  to  the  secret  pleasure  of  the 
Governor,  been  attentive  for  some  time  to  Louisa, 
yet  she  coyly  and  frequently  said  that  her  heart's 
desire  was  to  be  the  bride  of  some  "noble  warrior 
of  the  forest."  She  cultivated  all  the  Indian  sports, 
became  an  expert  with  the  ritle,  and  one  of  the 
most  daring  and  fearless  horsewomen  in  the  coun- 
tr3^  Undaunted  by  the  fate  of  Miss  McRea, 
whose  story  every  mother  repeated  to  her  child, 
she  would  make  long  excursions  into  the  forests, 
returning  with  game,  new  specimens  of  flowers, 
or  rare  medicinal  plants.  Marianne  was  too  ac- 
customed to  the  pastimes  of  a  frontier  life  to  find 
novelty  in  them,  and  was  happy  in  perusing  the 
books  which  her  friend  had  brought  with  her 
from  PhiladeliDliia.  Maj.  Hamtramck  was  fre- 
quently by  her  side.  She  touched  hidden  chords 
in  his  heart,  awaking  the  slumbering  melodies  of 
bright  dreams  and  fanciful  ideals.    Louisa  seemed 


Legends  of  Le  Di-troit.  155 

strangely  anxious  to  promote  the  friendship  be- 
tween Hamtramck  and  Marianne,  but  not  so  the 
Governor,  who  frowned  upon  this  new  state  of 
affairs. 

Marianne  had  been  witli  lier  friend  about  a 
month  when  it  was  announced  tliat  the  dreaded 
Chief  Thayendanegea  (Joseph  l^randt)  had  camped 
in  the  vicinity  witli  a  band  of  his  most  noted  war- 
riors. The  Governor,  anxious  to  conciliate  so  pow- 
erful a  foe  and  to  secure  his  friendship,  contem- 
plated sending  an  ambassador  to  him.  The  mis- 
sion was  a  perilous  and  delicate  one,  and  required 
more  tlian  ordinary  skill  and  diplomacy.  An 
envoy  i)ossessing  these  talents  was  not  easily 
found,  so  the  Governor  was  obliged  to  content 
himself  by  a  written  missive  requesting  an  inter- 
view, Louisa,  having  heard  the  matter  discussed, 
learned  who  the  messenger  was  to  be.  She  dis- 
guised herself  as  an  Indian  girl  and  slung  on  her 
shoulder  her  trusty  rifle.  Extracting  by  some 
womanly  art  the  note  from  the  soldier,  by  the 
aid  of  her  fleet  horse  she  was  soon  in  the  presence 
of  the  great  chieftain.  Brandt  was  startled  by 
the  fair  apparition,  admired  her  daring  and 
courage,  and  was  flattered  by  her  remembrance. 
These  two  had  met  before  in  Philadelphia,  when 
she  was  at  school,  and  he  a  student  at  col- 
lege.    The  young  Indian  had  been  much  sought 


150  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

after ;  liis  birtli,  his  influence  with  his  tribe,  his 
stately  and  graceful  figure  and  rare  talents,  had 
made  him  even  then  a  conspicuous  object.  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  that  he  became  the  hero  of 
many  a  girlish  heart.  "Noble  warrior,"  she  said, 
"I  have  risked  my  life  to  obtain  this  interview; 
you  must  send  some  one  to  accompany  me  back 
to  my  father."  The  chieftain  replied,  "It  is 
fitting  that  I  alone  should  guard  so  courageous  a 
maiden."  With  a  few  of  his  braves  he  accompa- 
nied her  home,  and  thus  the  Governor  obtained  the 
interview  he  desired.  Owinsr  to  some  disas-ree- 
ment  a  satisfactory  treaty  was  not  made.  The 
Governor  censured  Louisa  for  what  he  considered 
a  foolish  escapade,  but  his  anger  knew  no  bounds 
when  shortly  afterwards  Brandt  asked  him  for  her 
hand,  which  was  haughtily  refused.  He  sought 
the  presence  of  his  daughter  and  told  her  that  he 
would  never  consent  to  her  union  with  an  Indian. 
He  had  cherished  other  designs,  and  his  ardent 
wish  was  to  see  her  the  wife  of  Major  Hamtramck 
whom  he  esteemed  highly.  The  sharp  tones  of  the 
angry  voice  penetrated  to  the  room  where  Mari- 
anne sat  reading,  and  brought  to  her  an  explana- 
tion of  the  Governor's  peculiar  manner  of  late 
towards  her,  and  made  her  in  her  indignation 
question  the  motive  of  Hamtramck' s  devotion  to 
her.     The  pride  of  la  belle  France  was  aroused. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  16T 

She  doubted  the  young  officer's  loyalty  to  her,  and 
finding  a  favorable  pretext,  returned  to  Detroit 
whilst  Hamtramck  was  away  upon  temporary  offi- 
cial business.  Shortly  afterwards  the  embers  of 
war  were  rekindled,  and  Gov.  St.  Clair,  attacked  by 
the  combined  savage  tribes  of  the  West,  met  with 
a  most  disastrous  defeat."  He  was  only  rescued 
from  total  annihilation  by  Hamtramck  and  his- 
regnlars.  In  this  battle  Brandt  took  a  prominent 
part.  So  anxious  was  he  to  capture  St,  Clair 
alive,  that  he  gave  orders  to  his  savages  to  shoot 
the  horse  from  under  him.  but  not  to  kill  him. 
He  hoped  that  by  sparing  the  General's  life,  and 
making  him  sensible  of  this  generosity,  he  could 
gain  his  suit  and  win  Louisa  from  "Le  Crapeau  a, 
Cheval,"t  as  he  called  Hamtramck,  whom  he  sup- 
posed his  rival. 

Several  years  had  elapsed.  Col.  Hamtramck, 
who  had  so  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  of 
the  Maumee,  where  he  commanded  the  left  wing 
under  Wayne,  was  ordered  to  Detroit.  Here  for 
the  first  time  (1796)  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were 

*0n  hearing  of  St.  Clair's  defeat  it  is  said  that  Washington, 
for  once  in  his  life,  swore  such  u  volley  of  oaths  as  to  make  his 
Secretary's  hair  stand  on  end. 

f  Le  Crapeau  a  Cheval  (The  Frog  on  Horseback).  Ilamtrarack 
wjis  small  and  ratlicr  round  sliouldered,  making  a  poor  figure  oa 
horseback,  hence  Brandt's  jealous  epithets. 


158  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

unfurled  by  Mad  Anthony,  and  later  the  fort  was 
named  in  his  honor.  Here  Hamtramck  again  met 
his  former  sweetheart,  and  pleaded  his  cause  a 
second  time.  He  told  her  that  he  had  been  wound- 
ed and  surprised  by  her  sudden  departure  from 
Marietta,  and  had  heard  later  of  her  rumored  mar- 
riage to  Col.  Gratiot.  He  had  endeavored  to  efface 
her  image  from  his  heart,  had  married  and  was 
now  a  widower  ;  hearing  she  was  not  Gratiot's 
bride  he  had  returned  to  his  allegiance.  Marianne 
again  refused  him;  the  love  which  once  might  have 
been  his  had  been  hopelessly  blighted,  and  her 
heart  was  a  tomb  wherein  lay  the  ashes  of  buried 
hopes  and  bright  illusions.  "  Mademoiselle,"  said 
Hamtramck,  "since  we  cannot  be  united  in  life, 
in  death  I  shall  be  near  you.  I  shall  give  orders 
to  be  buried  by  your  side. "  "  Oh,  that  is  romantic, 
Colonel,  but  you  are  a  soldier  and  cannot  say  where 
your  last  sleep  shall  overtake  you,"  she  laughingly 
replied.  "No  matter,  mark  me,  I  shall  slumber 
within  the  shadow  of  your  tomb. ' '  In  1803  Ham- 
tramck died,  and  was  buried  near  the  Navarre 
lot  in  tlie  old  Ste.  Anne's  church  yard.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  inscription  on  his  tombstone  : 

"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  John  Francis  Ham- 
tramck, Colonel  of  the  First  United  States  Infantry 
and  Commandant  of  Detroit  and  its  dependencies. 
He  departed  this  life  on  the  11th  day  of  April, 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  159 

1803,  aged  45  years,  7  montlis,  27  days.  True 
patriotism  and  zealous  attachment  to  national 
liberty,  joined  to  a  laudable  ambition,  led  him 
into  military  service  at  an  early  age.  He  was  a 
soldier  before  he  was  a  man.  He  was  an  active 
participator  in  all  the  danger,  difficulties,  and 
honors  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  his  heroism 
and  uniform  good  conduct  procured  him  the 
attention  and  personal  thanks  of  the  immortal 
Washington.  The  United  States  in  him  have  lost 
a  valuable  officer  and  good  citizen,  and  society  a 
useful  and  pleasant  member.  His  friends  will 
•ever  mourn  the  loss  of  Hamtramck. 

This  monument  is  placed  over  him  by  the  offi- 
cers who  had  the  honor  to  serve  in  his  command, 
a  small  but  gi'ateful  tribute  to  his  worth." 

Hamtramck' s  remains  were  placed  in  Mount 
Elliott  on  the  abandonment  of  the  old  Ste.  Anne 
cemetery. 

Fifty  years  later  Marianne  died,  and  her  botly 
has  been  recently  removed  to  the  Godfrey  lot, 
wliicli  is  opposite  the  spot  where  Hamtramck  is 
buried.  His  prediction  has  been  fulfilled  and  he 
literally  "slumbers  within  the  shadow  of  her 
tomb."  Is  there  a  fate  in  this?  On  the  lower  side 
of  Detroit  on  the  river  bank  is  Fort  Wayne.  At 
the  upper  extremity  of  the  city  still  stands  the 
•old  French  house  where  Hamtramck  died.     The 


160 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 


majestic  elpi,  like  a  sentinel  by  its  side,  is  the 
land  mark  by  which  passing  vessels  take  their 
course.  The  adjoining  locality  bears  Hamtramck's 
name. 

Thus  the  two  old  heroes,  even  in  death,  hold 
their  favorite  respective  positions,  guarding  the 
left  and  right  flank,*  whilst  the  name  of  Ham- 
tramck's rival  is  still  perpetuated  in  one  of  our 
most  prominent  business  avenues  (Gratiot). 

*At  the  battle  of  Maumee,  August,  ]  794,  Wayne  commanded 
the  right  wing  and  Hamtrumck  the  left  wing.  This  great  victory 
over  the  Indians  gave  the  Americans  their  first  actual  control  of 
Detroit  and  the  surrounding  country. 


XXII 

THE  HAUNTED  SPINNING  WHEEL. 


A  Ijeg'end  of  St.  Jean's  Eve. 

(  c  KA  AD,"  impetuous  Anthony  Wayne  first 
I "  I  flung  in  triumph  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
I  ■  over  the  fair  City  of  the  Straits.  It  was 
a  gladsome  beacon  to  many  Americans  to  come 
and  seek  a  home  beneath  its  protecting  folds. 
The  Marietta  colony  in  Ohio  sent  Cass,  Sibley, 
Woodbridge  and  others  to  weave  in  history  their 
distinguished  talents  with  the  city  of  their  adop- 
tion. Many  dashing  Kentuckians,  followers  of 
Wayne,  having  conquered  the  English  oppressors 
were  themselves  vanquished  by  the  dark-eyed, 
piquante  Canadian  demoiselles. 

Many  intermarriages  took  place  between  the 

11 


162  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

French  habitants'^  and  the  new  comers.  In  the 
families  of  these  descendants  are  still  preserved 
the  qnaint  traditions  of  the  French,  also  some  of 
the  physical  traits,  particnlarly  the  shapely  foot 
and  hand,  and  to-day  the  sale  of  shoes  from  the 
so-called  Creole  last,  follows  the  line  of  French 
posts  from  Detroit,  Monroe,  Fort  Wayne,  Vin- 
cennes,  and  St.  Louis  down  to  New  Orleans.  It 
is  from  one  of  these  old  families  that  the  incidents 
embodied  in  the  following  story  are  gathered. 

In  1795  Didier  Duchene  lived  with  his  wife  and 
little  daughter  Fanchette  on  the  banks  of  the 
Kouge.  His  aged  mother  resided  with  him,  a 
venerable  dame  who  lingered  seemingly  forgot- 
ten, beyond  her  time.  But  not  so,  thought 
Fanchette,  who  w-ould  steal  from  her  play  to 
sit  beside  grandmere,  nestle  her  curly  head 
against  her  knee,  and  listen  with  flushed  cheeks 
and  eyes  glowing  with  wonderment  to  the 
marvelous  tales  she  told.  There  is  something 
beautiful  in  the  witchery  which  a  pious,  serene 
old  age  exercises  over  impressionable  childhood. 
There  seems  to  be  a  perfect  union  between  them, 

*Habitants.  A  word  whose  meaning  has  been  singularly  per- 
verted. It  meant  formerly  the  permanent  settlers  who  came  to 
"  habiter  le  pays  "  (inhabit  the  country),  in  contradistinction  to  the 
military  and  civil  functionaries  who  were  transient.  The  richest 
merchant  might  be  an  habitant,  that  is,  a  permanent  settler. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  163 

a  mystic  tie  which  as  we  advance  in  youth  and 
towards  middle  age  appears  gradually  to  weaken. 
Perhaps  the  spontaneous  reverence  wliich  lisping 
childhood  pays  to  the  aged,  arises  from  the  shadow 
of  the  mystery  of  its  own  existence  which  still 
envelops  it,  and  the  subtle  instincts  of  compan- 
ionship which  nature  instills  in  those  standing 
on  the  coniines  of  unknown  worlds.  It  is  the  un- 
conscious tribute  of  the  mystery  of  the  cradle  to 
that  of  the  grave.  Childhood  and  old  age  have 
no  present ;  one  lives  in  the  past,  the  other  in  the 
future. 

One  day  grandmere  died,  and  Fanchette  felt 
that  the  sunshine  had  all  crei)t  out  of  her  heart 
and  left  a  great  void.  It  was  Fanchette' s  first 
contact  with  death  and  she  felt  its  awe-striking 
influence,  and  wandered  about  listlessly  ques- 
tioning everything  why  all  was  so  changed  '.  She 
would  sob  herself  to  sleep,  and  in  dreandand 
would  hear  again  the  sweet,  faltering  accents  of 
grandmere.  One  evening  she  awoke  her  parents 
by  a  ringing  shriek  ;  they  hastened  to  her,  and 
found  her  excitedly  exclaiiuing:  "Grandmere, 
grandmere  ;  don"  t  you  hear  her  \ ''  To  soothe  her 
they  remained  quiet  a  moment  and  distinctly 
heard  the  hum  of  the  old  dame's  s])inning  wheel 
in  the  adjoining  room.  Terror  seized  them,  and 
it  was  only  at  the  earnest  pleading  of  the  child 


164  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

"to  see  grandiiiere"  that  they  regained  sufficient 
courage  to  open  the  door.  But  instantly  the  noise 
ceased  ;  the  room  was  quiet  and  nothing  disturbed. 

Night  after  night  the  same  occurrence  took 
i:)lace.  To  Fanchette  the  phantom  hum  of  the 
spinning  wheel  was  a  sweet  lullaby,  and  an  as- 
surance that  the  dear  grandmere  was  near.  But 
the  parents  who  had  always  laughed  at  the  old 
lady's  superstitions,  felt  it  a  warning  for  their  in- 
credulity. The  "BonPere"  was  consulted,  and 
after  hearing  the  story,  asked  if  they  had  left 
any  promise  unfulfilled  to  the  dead.  "Ah!  Mou 
Dieu,"  cried  Didier,  conscience-striken,  "I  prom- 
ised fifty  masses  for  the  repose  of  her  soul  and  to . 
distribute  some  things  among  the  poor."  The 
promise  was  soon  after  fulfilled,  and  the  spinning 
wheel  no  longer  sent  forth  its  weird  music  on  the 
midnight  air. 

Years  rolled  on  until  Fanchette  counted  16,  the 
marriageable  age  among  the  maidens  of  that  day. 
Her  mother  favored  the  suit  of  a  little  Canadian, 
but  the  girl' s  heart  inclined  toward  a  brave  Ken- 
tuckian.  It  was  a  severe  struggle  for  that  docile 
girl,  between  her  obedience  to  her  mother  and  her 
affection  for  her  lover.  The  great  Canadian  festi- 
val of  St.  Jean  Baptiste,  or  Midsummer  Day,  as 
the  JEnglish  called  it,  was  nigh. 

Towards  nightfall  the  great  bonfire  {feu  dejoie), 


Legends  of  Le  Dttroit.  105 

^vas  kindled.  It  was  un  octagonal  pyiaiiiid  about 
eight  or  ten  feet  high,  erected  opposite  the  church 
on  the  beach,  and  was  covered  with  branches  of 
fir  stuck  in  tlie  interstices  of  the  k)gs  of  cedar  of 
wliicli  it  was  built.  The  lighted  taper  was  applied 
to  each  little  heap  of  straw  placed  at  each  of  tho 
eight  corners  of  the  veidant  cone.  The  flanies 
arose  sparkling  and  scintillating  amidst  hurrahs, 
cheers  and  deafening  volleys  of  guns.  The  cus- 
tom was  of  Norman  origin,  and  commemorated 
the  time  when  the  bonfire  was  the  only  medium  of 
communication  for  J"hose  living  on  opposite  shores, 
iind  especially  in  winter,  when  they  were  shut  off 
from  each  other.  Thus  lire  became  a  language 
find  they  who  knew  its  alphabet  could  read  in  the 
swaying  Hames  the  message  of  death,  sickness  or 
joyful  tidings.  On  the  eve  of  the  festival  great 
bonfires  were  built  along  the  beach  of  the  Detroit 
find  all  kei)t  the  vigil,  as  it  was  thought  if  any  one 
slei)t  his  soul  would  leave  the  body  and  wander 
to  find  the  place  where  death  was  to  overtake 
him.  At  sunrise  if  close  watch  was  kept  one 
might  see  the  sun  dance  three  times. 

Fanchette  had  come  to  the  tort  to  visit  friends 
but  her  principal  interest  in  the  day  was  centered 
on  a  trial  wh||'h  she  had  decided  to  make  as  to 
whom  she  should  choose  foi"  a  husband.  At  the 
hour  of  twelve  everything  was  quiet  in  the  house. 


166  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

She  cautiously  made  her  way  to  the  garden  sur- 
rounded by  its  high  cedar  pickets,  and  taking  a 
handful  of  wild  hemp  seed,  she  scattered  it  on 
the  ground  saying, 

"Hemp  I  sow,  lienip  I  hoe, 
Who  is  my  love  come  alter  me  now. " 

To  her  intense  joy,  a  vague  resemblance  of  the 
Kentuckian  arose  and  stalked  across  the  garden. 

Then  hastily  plucking  a  few  sprigs  of  vervain, 
a  i^lant  so  useful  in  warding  off  goblins  and  pos- 
sessing wonderful  powers,  she  carefully  picked  a 
rose  de  France,  which  she  felt  would  keep  fresh 
until  marriage  time  at  Christmas,  and  returned  to 
her  room  to  watch  with  the  others,  and  muse  on 
her  happiness  in  store. 

The  same  belief  and  traditions  repeat  them- 
selves in  other  lands  as  is  seen  in  the  oft  quoted 

POEM  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  AVORT. 

The  young  maid  stole  through  the  cottage  door. 
And  blushed  as  she  saw  the  plant  of  power; 
"  Thou  silver  moon  glow,  oh  lend  me  thy  light, 
I  must  gather  the  mystic  St.  John's  wort  to-night, 
The  wonderful  herb  whose  leaf  will  decide 
If  the  coming  year  will  make  me  a  bride!" 

And  the  glow-worm  came 

With  its  silvery  flame. 

And  sparkled  and  shone 

Through  the  night  of  St.  John, 
And  soon  has  the  maid  her  love-knot  tied. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  1C7 

With  noiseless  tread 

To  her  chamber  she  sped, 
Where  the  spectral  moon  her  white  beams  shed; 
Bloom  here,  bloom  there,  thou  plant  of  power, 
To  deck  the  young  bride  in  her  bridal  hour; 
But  it  drooped  its  head,  that  plant  of  power. 
And  died  the  mute  death  of  the  voiceless  flower. 

And  a  withered  wreath  on  the  ground  it  lay, 
More  meet  for  a  burial  than  a  bridal  day; 
And  when  a  year  was  passed  away 
All  pale  on  her  bier  the  young  maid  lay. 

And  the  glow-worm  came 

With  its  silvery  flame. 

And  sparkled  and  shone 

Through  the  night  of  St.  John, 
As  they'closed  the  cold  grave  on  the  maid's  cold  claj'. 

Wlien  Christmas  came  little  Fancliette  decked 
as,  a  bride  stood  by  the  side  of  her  gallant  Ken- 
tuckian,  and  said  the  words  which  made  her  his 
"for  weal  or  for  woe."  She  told  him  afterwards 
the  story  of  St.  Jean's  eve,  and  transformed  him 
into  a  fervent  believer  in  grandmcre'  s  supersti- 
tions. A  few  years  later  a  group  of  merry  chil- 
dren might  have  been  seen  in  theDuchene  orchard 
burning  bundles  of  straw  under  the  trees,  whilst 
they  chanted  : 

Taupes,  chenilles,  et  mulots 

Sortez  sortcz  de  vos  clos 
Ou,  je  vous  brule  la  barbe  et  les  os 

Arbres,  arbrisseaux 
Donnez  moi  des  pommes  a  minot. 


168  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Translated  into  English  the  rhyme  means 

Caterpillars,  mice  and  moles 
On  tliis  instant  leave  your  holes, 
Crawl  forth  from  under  bark  and  stones 
Or  I  will  burn  your  beard  and  bones. 
And  may  the  trees  both  great  and  small 
Be  loaded  down  with  apples  all. 


XXI II 

THE  CURSED  VILLAGE. 


A  Legrend  of  L'Anse  Creuse. 

IT  WAS  on  a  glorious  Septenibci-  moiiiiiig-  that 
our  carriage  rolled  along  tlie  picturesque  shore 
of  Grosse  Pointe.  The  soft,  misty  waves  of  fog 
which  trailed  over  the  smooth  cut  lawn  and  over 
the  broad  lake  were  gradually  curling  themselves 
into  graceful,  spiral  wreaths,  to  dissolve  in  the 
sunlight.  If  there  is  a  touch  of  sadness  in  Au- 
tumn, an  indescribable  yearning  after  something 
in(h'fina])le,  there  is  a  strength  to  resist  the  de- 
pression in  the  frt'sh.  bracing  aluiosplicrr  which 
lends  roses  to  the  cheek  and  buoyancy  to  the  step. 
Nature,  as  if  conscious  of  this  tinge  of  melancholy, 
dons  her  bright(»st  colois.  lliiows  ai'ouud  her  that 
mystic,  mellow   lighl    which    I'oiiiids  the  sharpest 


170  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

outlines  and  softens  the  roughest  landscapes,  and 
whilst  we  are  enchanted  by  her  gorgeous  devices- 
we  forget  the  sad  reflections  of  this  season  of 
decay. 

We  passed  the  fashionable  drive,  bordered  by 
its  handsome  villas  with  their  evidences  of  culture 
and  refinement,  crossed  the  tottering  bridge  over 
Milk  River,  into  a  strange  country  and  a  past 
age.  Occasionally  signs  of  a  well-to-do  farmer 
greeted  us,  but  these  were  rare.  Silence,  monot- 
ony and  dilapidation  were  written  everywhere. 
The  lake  here  swept  majestically  into  the  shore 
forming  a  graceful  curve.  This  was  the  Bay  of 
L'Anse  Creuse  from  which  the  village  on  its 
banks  derived  its  name,  we  were  told.  Dim, 
shadowy  memories  of  a  legend  connected  with 
this  place  drifted  confusedly  through  my  brain, 
and  asking  the  driver  about  it,  he  told  us  that 
there  lived  not  far  an  old  habitant  who  was  well 
versed  in  all  such  lore,  and  who  would  be  but  too 
happy  to  have  a  listener.  Ten  minutes  later  we 
entered  a  humble  cottage,  stated  our  errand,  and 
were  received  with  that  genuine  courtesy,  the  pe- 
culiar heritage  of  the  French,  which  caused  Syd- 
ney Smith  to  envy  the  manners  of  his  cobbler  in 
Paris.  The  old  raconteur  introduced  us  to  his 
children  and  grandchildren,  who  eyed  us  politely^ 
but  with  curious,  speculative  eyes,  unused  to  a 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  171 

sudden  inroad  of  strangers.  Tlie  liabitant  evi- 
dently relislied  tpllinu-  a  sloiy,  and  siniicking  his 
lips  after  the  inannei'  of  an  t'liiciire.  lold  ns  tlie 
legend  ol'  L'Anse  Creuse. 

It  was  the  feast  of  Corpus  Chiisti  in  .Inne.  and 
the  whole  neighborhood  of  L'Anse  Creuse  was  in 
a  whirl  of  excitement.  For  to-day  the  Bisho]> 
was  coining  from  the  fort  (Detroit)  acconii»anied 
by  tlie  new  pastor,  to  consecrate  the  little  eliai»el. 
The  young  men  on  horseback  with  their  guns  to- 
fire  a  salute,  had  gone  to  meet  them,  whilst  the 
children,  dressed  in  white,  bearing  flowers  and 
looking  like  so  many  butterflies,  were  flitting  to 
and  fro,  and  the  habitants  in  their  Sunday  attire 
were  gaily  chatting.  All  of  a  sudden  a  discharge 
of  guns  announced  the  near  approach  of  the  cleri- 
cal party,  and  in  a  few  moments  all  were  formed 
in  a  procession.  Banners  were  unfurl e.<l,  voices 
were  raised  chanting  the  Te  Deum,  clouds  of  in- 
cense rose  to  perfume  the  air  and  the  pathway 
was  strewn  with  Mowers. 

Thus  were  they  escorted  to  the  church,  and 
amidst  that  grand  silence  so  apiiealing  in  its  so- 
lemnity, the  imposing  ceremonies  took  j^lace. 
They  were  followed  by  a  short  but  eloquent  ad- 
dress from  their  new  ])asfor.  Father  Gabriel.  He 
thanked  them  for  tlieir  welcome  and  hoi)ed  that 
God  would  bless  his  efforts;  he  woidd  endeavor 


172  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

to  prove  a  true  shepherd,  but  his  flock  must  aid 
hiui  to  keep  in  the  narrow  path.  He  alluded 
lightly  to  that  greatest  of  all  temptations,  exces- 
sive drinking,  which  brought  so  many  evils  in 
its  train,  and  which  was  so  difficult  to  Overcome. 

Perhaps  the  eagle  eye  of  the  priest  had  noted 
the  recess  on  the  banks,  where  old  Francois  Fon- 
tenoy,  the  celebrated  Indian  trader  (who  had 
buried  a  brass  kettle  of  gold  at  Presque  Isle,  and 
which  has  caused  as  many  explanations  and  con- 
jectures as  Kidd's  treasure),  had  tapped  a  barrel 
of  genuine  eau  de  vie  to  appease  the  thirsty. 

After  the  blessing,  all  dispersed  to  give  them- 
selves up  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  day.  The 
young  men  amused  themselves  by  shooting  in  the 
air,  which  caused  a  stranger,  who  seemed  by  his 
manner  and  dress  to  take  no  part  in  the  day's  re- 
joicing, to  say,  ''They  are  shooting  the  devil  out 
of  the  neighborhood."  One  near  him  jestingly 
replied,  "Perhaps  he  was  never  here  until  you 
came  ;  you  must  have  brought  him."  An  angry 
flush  crept  over  the  swarthy  face  of  the  stranger, 
who  with  a  muttered  something,  turned  on  his 
heels  and  joined  old  Fontenoy  and  his  flowing 
glass. 

This  man,  Lizon  by  name,,  had  recently  settled 
at  L' Anse  Creuse.  Being  reserved  in  his  manner, 
he  merely  stated  tliat  he  came  from  Montreal. 


Legend f<  of  Le  Detroit.  173 

He  foinicd  :i  conrrast  to  the  liul  it -hearted  villaii;- 
ers,  who  lived  as  one  faiiiily,  shared  eacli  others 
joys  and  sorrows,  and  who  were  closely  bound  l^y 
the  ties  of  early  association  and  relationship. 
Lizon  rejected  in  a  morose  inaiiiK'i-  fhcii-  rricndly 
overtures,  and  was  soon  left  to  the  solitude  he 
seamed  to  co\»et.  He  possessed  means,  for  he  had 
purchased  land,  and  built  an  auberge  where  liquor 
was  the  chief  iiidiicHiiu'iit. 

One  day  it  was  announced  that  Lizon  had  asked 
Julienne,  the. daughter  of  a  respected  habitant,  to 
marry  him.  The  amazement  of  the  gqpd  people 
was  intense,  as  Julienne  was  ;i,  sweet,  pious  girl, 
and  had  rejected  half  of  the  youths  of  L'Anse 
Creuse,  whilst  this  Lizon  was  ugly,  cross-eyed 
and  had  a  halt  in  his  walk,  besides  had  never 
been  known  to  enter  the  church. 

How  he  won  the  damsel  was  a  sort  of  mystery 
to  all,  a  constant  theme  of  conjecture.  Some 
boldly  said  it  was  sorcery.  The  parents  of  the 
girl  were  opposed  to  the  mari-iage,  but  seeing  how 
headstrong  she  was,  left  her  to  her  own  devices. 

Lizon  refused  to  be  married  in  church,  as  he 
would  then  be  obliged  to  attend  to  his  religious 
duties.  Julienne  besought  him,  but  to  no  avail. 
AVhat  argument  he  used,  wliat  witchcraft  he  em- 
ployed, is  not  known,  but  Julienne  deserted  her 
home  and  came  to  live  with  Lizon.    Father  Gabriel 


174  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

who  liad  been  absent,  returned  a  few  days  after 
and  found  his  community  excited  over  the  scandal. 
He  immediately  sent  for  both  culjDrits.  Neither 
obeyed  his  confmand.  The  following  Sunday 
he  hurled  against  them  the  fearful  ban  of  excom- 
munication, and  stated  that  Lizon  had  a  wife  and 
children  whom  he  had  deserted,  living  in  Montreal. 
From  that  day  no  one  crossed  the  threshold  of 
Lizon' s  door, — the  grass  grew  rank,  and  seldom  was 
Julienne  seen.  Lizon' s  rage  knew  no  bounds;  he 
repaired  a  dilapidated  barn  and  there  kept  liquor 
for  all  who  desired  to  procure  it.  Those  who  had 
feared  to  go  to  the  auberge  flocked  to  this  new 
place  and  soon  the  evil  influence  of  this  drinking 
was  felt.  The  peace  which  reigned  in  this  Arca- 
dia of  Lake  Ste.  Claire  was  broken  ;  dissensions, 
quarrels  and  scandals  arose.  The  voice  of  the 
priest  seemed  powerless  and  his  efforts  paralyzed 
by  the  demon  of  liquor. 

Julienne,  who  was  seldom  seen,  startled  the 
congregation  one  Sunday  morning  by  standing  in 
front  of  the  altar  and  asking  public  pardon, 
through  the  priest,  for  the  great  scandal  she  had 
caused.  All  in  the  church  were  melted  into  tears, 
and  the  voice  of  the  pastor  was  tremulous  with 
emotion  as  he  welcomed  back  the  erring  sheep 
into  the  fold. 

When  Lizon  discovered  the  flight  of  Julienne, 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  175 

that  she  liad  ictiiriKMl  to  her  God  and  to  her  i);ii'- 
•ents,  his  anger  was  fearful.  He  swore  that  he 
wonld  have  lier  back,  that  he  would  spurn  [iny- 
thing  that  stood  in  his  way.  The  bay  would 
sooner  break  its  bonds  than  he  forego  his  design. 
It  was  New  Year's  eve,  and  every  houseliold 
was  making  preparations,  for  each  expected  a 
visit  fiom  the  d'Ignolee.  This  is  an  old  custom, 
traced  to  France,  and  by  fragmentary  history  and 
tradition  away  back  to  tlie  Druids*  and  is  still 
kept  up  at  Grosse  Pointe  and  in  Lower  Canada, 
A  number  of  young  men  gather,  masked  and 
armed  with  stout  sticks,  and  visit  each  house  suc- 
cessively, in  the  village.  They  halt  at  the  door 
and  sing  their  song.  They  are  bidden  in,  and 
after  greeting  the  host  and  hostess,  continue  their 
song  in  which  they  state  that  they  come  in  ac- 
<jordance  with  their  promise  to  visit  them  annu- 
ally.    "We  ask  but  little,"  they  say,  "a  little 


*Frcj-a,  the  wife  of  Odiu.  the  Saxon  god,  made  all  tliiiiirs  swear 
not  to  harml3al(]er,  tlic  Sun,  except  tlie  mistletoe,  a  plant  so  di- 
minutive that  she  did  not  think  it  worth  noticing.  Lake,  god  of 
evil,  found  out  his  weak  point  however,  and  tearing  up  the  mis- 
tletoe gave  it  to  Odin,  the  blind  god,  who  with  it  fatallj^  i)iereed 
Balder.  That  was  the  fable,  and  it  was  to  prevent  Lake  from 
slaying  Balder  that  the  Druids  solemnlj'  sought  the  oak  trees  and 
■gathered  the  mistletoe  from  their  boughs  with  the  joyous  cry, 
"  Au  gui  I'an  neuf,"  of  which  La  d'Ignolee  is  a  corruption,  mean- 
ing the  mistletoe — the  new  year. 


176  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

piece  of  chignee,  nothing  more.  Will  you  give 
it  ?  If  not,  say  so,  and  we  will  take  your  eldest 
daughter."  The  chujnee  to  which  allusion  is  here 
made  is  a  piece  cut  from  a  newly  slaughtered 
hog,  with  the  tail  depending  therefrom.  It  is  in- 
variably put  aside,  with  clothing  and  provisions, 
for  the  singers,  who  place  the  offerings  of  all  in 
their  cart,  and  afterward  distribute  them  among 
the  poor. 

The  d'Ignolee  knocked  for  admittance  at  the 
door  of  Julienne' s  father  ;  they  were  welcomed  and 
received  their  offerings.  Whilst  the  party  was 
singing  a  sudden  cry  of  distress  caused  all  to  rush 
to  the  door.  Nothing  was  seen  and  the  d'  Ignolee 
immediately  departed.  The  father  called  Juli- 
enne for  the  evening  rosary  and  receiving  no 
answer,  went  to  her  room  ;  she  was  not  there. 
Immediately  they  suspected  that  Lizon  was  among" 
the  d'  Ignolee.  The  cry  they  had  heard  was  hers 
and  a  warning  to  the  rest  of  the  d'  Ignolee  to  leave. 
Messengers  liew  to  stop  the  d'  Ignolee  and  others 
ran  to  Lizon' s,  but  they  did  not  find  Julienne. 
Father  Gabriel  was  sent  for  and  he  went  to  de- 
mand Julienne  of  Lizon  who  laughed  at  him,  say- 
ing he  did  not  recognize  his  authority  and  did  not 
understand  why  he.  Father  Gabriel,  should  inter- 
fere with  what  did  not  concern  him.  The  priest 
answered  that  Julienne  was  one  of  his  flock,  she- 


Legends  of  Le  JJttvoit  ITT 

had  willingly  left  Lizon  and  he  had  stolen  her.  A 
scream  for  help  from  the  house  was  heard  and 
Julienne's  father  and  others  rushing  in,  found 
her  and  brought  her  back.  The  night  of  horrors 
was  too  much  for  her;  she  became  a  maniac. 
Lizon,  maddened  by  liquor  and  at  the  defeat  of 
his  i)lans,  in  his  rage  struck  the  priest  in  the  face 
and  blasphemed  everything  sacred.  A  few  sprang 
forward  to  seize  Lizon,  but  the  majority  looked  on. 

Father  Gabriel  raised  his  hands  and  said  that 
Lizon  has  brought  a  curse  on  the  place,  and  caused 
others,  by  his  bad  example,  to  follow  in  his  foot- 
stejjs  ;  and  he  again  pronounced  the  awful  edipt 
of  excommunication  against  him.  That  unless  he 
repented,  even  in  the  grave  he  should  have  no  rest ; 
and  all  who  aided  or  abetted  him  in  his  evil  deeds 
would  suffer.  Their  church  would  he  swept  away  hy 
the  rising  waters. 

Father  Gabriel  left  for  Fort  Pontchartrain,  and 
Lizon  took  every  occasion  to  distribute  his  vile 
liquor  and  to  malign  the  good  character  of  the 
priest.  But  somehow  nothing  seemed  to  prosper. 
The  season  set  in  wet  and  storm j^,  the  fruit  failed 
to  ripen  and  was  blasted  on  the  trees.  The  crops 
were  all  destroyed  and  clouds  of  locusts  devoured 
the  young  grass.  The  people  murmured  among 
themselves  and  looked  for  the  return  of  the  good 
priest,  whose  interest  in  their  behalf  thev  had  re- 

12 


178  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

warded  with  ingratitude,  and  on  whose  departure 
disaster  had  come.  One.  day  the  old  auberge  was 
closed,  and  it  was  said  that  Lizon  had  died  unex- 
pectedly. He  was  hurriedly  placed  in  a  coffin  and 
a  grave  dug  in  unconsecrated  ground.  As  the 
bearers  were  about  to  place  the  coffin  in  its  final 
resting  place,  they  suddenly  felt  it  grow  lighter, 
whilst  out  of  the  grave  issued  loathsome  serpents 
without  number.  For  many  days  these  occur- 
rences were  common  gossip.  Phantasmagorial 
forms  in  white  could  be  seen  moving  about,  and 
those  who  looked  towards  Lizon' s  grave  saw  it 
roll  and  heave,  whilst  the  feu  f ollet  skipped  about 
in  all  directions. 

A  fearful  storm  set  in,  lashing  the  waves  into 
foamy  billows  mountain  high  and  dashing  them 
against  the  shore  with  such  force  as  to  sweep  over 
the  road.  Higher  and  higher  the  waters  crept, 
climbing  up  towards  the  orchards  of  fine  Colville 
apples  and  the  stately  pears,  survivors  of  the  days 
of  "le  grand  monarch."  Closer  and  closer  the 
angry  surf  came  to  the  little  church;  the  water 
had  undermined  the  quicksand  beneath  it,  and 
with  a  groan  and  deafening  crash  it  sank  into  the 
mighty  element.  The  people  frightened  by  the 
fearful  disaster  fled  in  terror  to  the  woods,  where 
they  remained  through  the  night.  Day  dawned 
peaceably;  the  habitants  returned  to  their  deserted 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 


17;> 


homes,  rebuilt  their  church,  and  by  tlicir  players 
and  the  faithful  observance  of  their  duties,  re- 
moved the  curse  which  rested  on  L'Anse  Creuse. 


XXIV 


SANS  SOUCI  AND  OKEMOS. 


The  Legend  of  a  Centenarian. 

ONE  of  the  best  known  houses  in  Detroit  dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  this  century  stood  on 
the  north-east  corner  of  the  present  Wood- 
ward avenue  and  Woodbridge  street,  fronting  on 
the  latter,  then  "par  excellence"  the  fashion- 
able street.  A  hospitable  old  French  domicile 
was  this,  with  its  big  fire  place  occupying  nearly 
the  entire  side  of  a  room  in  the  centre  of  which 
was  a  stout  oaken  table  with  carved  legs  and 
rush-bottomed  chairs  around  it.  About  the  floor 
were  deer  and  buffalo  skins  on  which  unexpected 
guests  (frequently  chiefs  of  the  neighboring  Indian 
tribes)  might  stretch  their  weary  limbs  and  with 
their  feet  on  the  hearth  beguile  the  night  away. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  181 

This  was  the  home  of  Gabriel  Godefroy,  agent 
of  the  Pottawatomies  and  Chippewas.  Style 
then  was  not  a  ruling  element  as  at  the  present 
time.  General  Cass  relates  that  when  he  ar- 
rived he  found  benches  instead  of  chairs  in  ordi- 
nary use,  and  tliat  an  old  bottle  was  frequently 
the  nearest  approach  to  a  candlestick  ;  and  ser- 
vants being  scarce  he  who  served  himself  was 
best  served.  So  his  friends  often  saw  him  re- 
turning from  market  with  a  great  yellow  pump- 
kin under  his  arm,  and  on  occasions  of  necessity 
he  did  not  disdain  to  place  across  his  broad 
shoulders  the  neck-yoke,  a  certain  machine  with 
two  buckets  pendent  from  its  extremities,  which 
constituted  the  primitive  water  works,  the  river 
then  as  now  furnishing  a  never-failing  supply  of 
the  beverage.  Long  intercourse  with  the  Indian 
tribes  had  simplified  the  tastes  of  the  habitants 
and  brought  with  it  freedom  from  care  and  the 
calls  of  the  tax-collector. 

The  proprietor  of  this  house  previously  men- 
tioned, was  one  of  the  few  born  within  the  walls 
•of  old  Fort  Pontchartrain  under  French  rule, 
who  survived  all  the  eventful  changes  and  who 
lived  to  serve  the  American  government  forty 
years.  His  boon  companions  were  Chabert  de 
Joncaire,  Descomptes  Labadie,  Francois  de 
Laselle,    Jacques  Canipeau,    Antoine   Beaubien, 


182  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Pierre  Navarre,  Antoine  De  Quindre,  Jacques 
Duperon  Baby,  Whittmore  Knaggs  and  other 
hardy  pioneers  of  this  outpost  of  civilization. 
Some  of  them  were  sure  to  happen  in  at  Gode- 
f  roy'  s  during  the  long  winter  evenings  and  would 
meet  there  such  chiefs  as  Tecumseh,  Black  Hoof, 
Walk  in  the  Water,  Okemos  (a  nephew  of  Pon- 
tiac)  and  others  whose  names  are  familiar.  The 
law  required  an  Indian  agent  to  keep  open  house 
for  all  representative  savages  who  chanced  to 
visit  the  post.  How  often  have  I  sat  by  the 
crackling  fire  of  blazing  logs,  listening  to  the 
wild  tales  of  Indian  fights,  wonderful  hunts,  hair- 
breadth escapes,  etc.,  etc.!  How  they  laughed  as 
they  told  the  story  of  old  Sans  Souci,  a  super- 
annuated mare  the  date  of  whose  birth  was 
beyond  the  ken  of  the  oldest  habitant !  This 
remarkable  animal  was  the  property  of  Gode- 
froy's  clerk,  Jean  Beaugrand,  a  mysterious  old 
bachelor  who  was  himself  looked  askance  at  by 
all  the  children  of  the  fort  on  account  of  a 
strange  habit  lie  had  of  mumbling  to  himself. 
How  old  Sans  Souci  survived  for  so  many 
yfears  was  inexplicable,  for  she  was  sure  to  visit 
each  neighbor's  cornfield  or  watermelon  patch 
once  a  week,  and  before  escaping  therefrom  had 
to  run  a  wild  gauntlet  of  stones  and  sticks.  The 
more  stolen  provender  she  disposed  of  the  leaner 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  183 

she  grew,  until  at  last  she  became  a  veritable 
scarecrow.  No  fence  was  high  enough  to  keep 
her  out,  and  there  was  a  tradition  tliat  she  had  once 
jumped  the  pickets  of  the  fort,  twelve  feet  in 
height.  In  case  some  over-exasperated  habitant 
shot  at  her  she  would  merely  Ivick  up  her  heels 
and  switch  her  tail  \)\  way  of  return  salute.  A 
whip  or  club  liad  no  effect  on  her  except  to  cause 
a  sort  of  scowl  and  a  malicious  laying  back  of 
the  ears.  On  bright,  sunny  days  she  would  saun- 
ter forth  on  the  narrow  streets  or  stand  with 
downcast  head  on  the  corner  for  hours,  evidently 
communing  Avith  herself  on  by-gone  scenes,  only 
aroused  by  a  dog  tight  or  a  knot  of  idlers  dis- 
cussing politics  in  which  she  seemed  to  take  a 
lively  interest.  Occasionally  she  would  open 
wide  her  mouth  in  apparent  laughter  at  the  rec- 
ollection of  some  old  joke.  At  other  times  she 
would  shake  her  head  wisely  and  blink  with 
the  dignity  of  a  sage  judge  delivering  a  pro- 
found opinion.  What  Sans  Souci  w;is  thinking 
about  no  one  could  tell ;  tliat  an^is  the  mystery. 
She  would  only  brighten  uji  when  her  master, 
Beaugrand,  who  seemed  to  have  some  private 
understanding  with  her,  appeared  around  the 
corner  and  beckoned  her  to  the  barn  just  behind 
the  house.  For  an  instant  a  reminiscence  of 
departed  youth  would  animate  her,  causing  her 


184  Legends  of  Le  DetToit. 

to  prick  up  lier  ears  and  forget  her  usual  snail- 
like pace,  in  expectation  of  fodder  to  come.  Jean^ 
used  to  avow  tliat  years  before  his  old  mare  had 
broken  a  leg  in  a  race  on  the  ice  but  that  she 
kept  right  on  and  won  the  race  in  spite  of  it.  '' 
Tradition  has  it  that  a  line  of  steeds  which 
sprang  from  this  same  mare  have  a  peculiar  habit 
of  cutting  up  the  same  capers,  even  to  this  day. 
It  was  in  1805,  the  year  of  the  famous  fire,  that 
a  number  of  French  and  Indians  were  seated 
around  Godefroy's  festal  board.  Numerous  pota- 
tions had  exhausted  the  jug  of  cider,  and  Oke- 
mos,  who  was  present,  became  clamorous  for 
something  stronger.  "You  will  have  to  find 
Jean,  then,"  said  Godefroy,  "he  has  the  key  to 
the  cellar. ' '  The  Indian  immediately  disappeared 
but  soon  after  returned  in  evident  terror.  He 
announced  that  seeing  a  light  in  Beaugrand's 
window  over  the  barn,  he  had  looked  through 
the  chinks  and  saw  Jean  seated  with  the  old 
mare,  Sans  Souci,  before  a  table  and  that  both 
were  laughing  and  chatting  together.  It  was 
not  strange  that  an  Indian  should  believe  this, 
for  they  all  looked  on  bears,  wolves  and  beavers 
as  reasoning  beings,  and  only  prevented  from 
speaking  by  an  evil  spirit.  Godefroy,  to  the 
great  horror  of  Okemos,  exclaimed,  ' '  We  will 
see  about  this,"  and  followed  by  several  of  his 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  185 

French  guests  ascended  tlie  ladder  leading  to 
Jean's  room,  determined  to  put  an  end  to  this 
spiritual  seance.  A  Frenchman  who  cautiously 
peeked  through  a  crack  avowed  tliat  he  could 
see  Jean  playing  "seven-up"  with  the  old  mare, 
and  that  they  were  pouring  into  a  pewter  cup 
and  drinking  what  looked  by  lamplight  like 
melted  brass.  Godefroy,  indignant  at  such  non- 
sense, dashed  his  foot  against  the  door  which 
yielded.  Both  the  Frenchmen  with  him  declared 
they  saw  the  old  mare  leap  out  of  the  window 
when  the  door  liew  open,  but  Jean  on  being  ac- 
<5used  of  diabolical  work  insisted  that  he  was 
only  concocting  a  little  *'cidre  au  charbon"  by 
the  light  of  his  lantern,  and  that  the  mare  would 
be  found  in  the  stable  below.  Okemos,  however, 
who  had  followed,  would  not  believe  this  story 
but  considered  Godefroy  a  "big  medicine"  to 
•dare  to  disturb  the  evil  spirit  at  his  meals.  Ever 
after  this  Godefroy' s  influence  with  the  Indians 
was  all-powerful.  As  to  the  old  mare,  her  days 
were  numbered.  A  few  weeks  later  the  cry  of 
fire  resounded  though  the  post,  and  in  a  few 
hours  not  a  single  habitation  was  left  to  indicate 
where  old  Detroit  had  stood.  The  old  barn,  of 
course,  was  burned,  and  the  superstitious  ones 
who  thought  that  Sans  Souci  was  carried  olf 
by  the  devil  in  a  cloud  of  smoke,  were  shown  lier 


186  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

charred  remains  the  next  day.  There  were  many, 
however,  who  asserted  that  they  saw  the  dreaded 
Nain  Rouge  (or  little  red  man),  the  traditional 
fiend  of  the  fort,  on  the  roof  of  the  barn  just 
l^ef ore  it  fell  in,  and  that  he  grinned  and  chuckled 
as  he  did  on  the  day  the  old  French  flag  was 
hauled  down.  When  war  broke  out  with  Eng- 
land, the  United  States  Government  by  a  mistaken 
policy  at  first  allowed  the  Britisli  to  secure  con- 
trol of  the  Indian  tribes.  But  after  Winches- 
ters defeat  and  the  cold-blooded  massacre  of 
Kentucky  troops,  ■  Okemos  and  his  Chippewas 
with  many  others,  were  secured  to  the  American 
cause  by  Godefroy's  influence.'^    It  was  one  of  his 

*Narrative  of  Elizabeth  Ann  Godefroy,  daugliter  of  Judge 
James  May :  ' '  About  two  weeks  after  the  battle  of  the  River 
Raisin,  during  the  absence  of  my  husband  from  home,  I  pur- 
chased a  prisoner  from  a  Pottawatomie  Indian  named  Ta-tas- 
sa.  This  was  in  the  month  of  February,  1813.  The  Indians 
were  about  to  burn  him  at  the  stake  in  the  yard  before  our  house. 
I  called  on  my  husband's  clerk  and  interpreter,  Raumaine  La 
Chambre,  and  said  to  him  that  he  must  devise  some  way  to  save- 
the  American.  Being  ill  and  near  the  period  of  confinement,  the 
interpreter  said  that  if  I  were  to  ask  of  the  Indians,  the  prisoner 
as  an  adopted  son  they  might  give  him  up.  So  I  followed  his 
advice,  and  on  hearing  the  request  they  shrugged  their  shoulders, 
saying,  'Oh!  oh!  it  is  bad  medicine  to  refuse  a  woman  in  your 
condition  anything,  but  this  is  a  Yankee  dog  and  we  must  burn 
him.'  I  then  asked  them  what  they  would  take  for  his  ransom. 
They  replied,  one  hundred  dollars.  Having  but  ten  dollars  at 
hand  I  offered  tliem  a  fine  black  horse  well  saddled  and  bridled,. 


Le'gends  of  Le  Detroit.  187 

friendly  Indians  tliat  ])i()Mg]it  Godefroy  tin*  lii'Ht 
news  of  Perry's  victory,  and  the  enthusiastic 
Frenchman  liastcned  to  promulgate  it  from  liouse 
to  house,  liiiliteiiiuii;  the  In'artsof  a  people  almost 

belonging  to  ray  hu.sl)an(i,  with  two  bundles  of  dry  goods  and  a 
lot  of  silver  work  (for  Indian  use)  together  with  the  ten  dollars  in 
money,  in  all  worth  some  two  hundred  dollars.  But  the  Indians 
replied,  'This  is  not  money  to  us  and  we  will  not  sell  liiin.'  I 
then  told  them  through  the  interpreter  that  we  had  in  the  cellar 
a  five-gallon  keg  of  whiskey.  At  this  they  held  a  council  among 
themselves,  and  finally  sold  nw.  the  prisoner  and  went  their  way. 
His  name  was  John  Henry,  from  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  said 
his  wife's  name  Avas  Nancy  Burnet,  and  that  he  had  a  child  six 
months  old  named  Valentine.  Immediately  after  the  purchase  I 
gave  him  something  to  eat,  and  had  the  interpreter  shave  off  his 
beard  and  dress  him  in  the  garb  of  an  old  French  voyageur,  go  as 
to  disguise  him  as  much  as  possible,  fearing  that  when  the  whis- 
key was  all  gone  the  Indians  would  return  and  demand  the  pris- 
oner, or  more  whiskey,  which  was  not  to  he  had  at  any  price. 
After  a  short  rest  I  sent  the  prisoner  under  charge  of  a  French- 
man to  my  father,  Judge  May,  of  Detroit,  wliom  I  desired  to  at- 
tend to  his  exchange,  which  he  did  by  .seiiding  my  brother,  James 
May,  Jr.,  with  him  to  Major  Muir,  British  Connuandant.  As  I 
had  anticipated  the  Indians  returned  by  daylight  and  brought- 
back  all  that  I  had  given  them  except  the  whiskey  and  demanded 
the  prisoner,  or  more  whiskey.  I  told  them  through  the  inter- 
preter I  had  given  them  all  I  had  and  they  then  began  a  search 
about  the  house  for  the  prisoner.  La  Chambre  said  to  them  : 
'Now  you  see  the  poor  woman  after  ])aying  you  well  for  the  juis- 
oner  has  lost  all  she  gave  and  her  adopted  son  also,  for  your  Brit- 
ish father  sent  his  soldiers  here  last  night  and  took  him  away  from 
her.'  So  half  believing  the  story  the}'  left  for  the  border  of  the 
woods  thinking  lie  might  possibly  be  concealed  there.  The  pris- 
■  oner  on  leaving  promi.sed  to  write  to  me  but  if  he  did,  his  letters 
never  reached  us." 


188 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 


driven  to  despair  by  Proctor's  tyrannies  and  the 
insatiable  exactions  of  his  savage  allies. 

While  the  site  of  the  old  house  is  still  in  pos- 
session of  Godef roy'  s  descendants,  the  ground  on 
which  the  old  barn  stood  is  occupied  by  a  police 
•station,  and  from  the  shrieks  and  groans  that 
often  emanate  from  some  of  its  frenzied  occupants 
while  under  the  influence  of  potations  of  strych- 
nine (modern  whiskey),  we  may  well  infer  that 
the  ghosts  of  both  Sans  Souci  and  the  Nain 
Kouge  still  haunt  the  si)ot. 


XXV 


THE  SIBYL'S  PROPHECY. 


A  Legrend  of  the  Huron  .Villagre. 

T  WAS  in  August,  1806. 
Tlie  Hurons,  following 
their  usual  yearly  custom 
liad  come  to  camp  near  the 
church  in  Sandwich,  to 
celebrate  what  was  then 
called  "Le  Festin  des 
Sauvages,"  (The  Indian 
Feast).  After  assisting  devoutly  at  mass,  they 
filed  out  one  by  one  according  to  grade,  for  these 
monarchs  of  the  forest  were  as  tenacious  of  their 
rank  as  the  Ancienne  Noblesse  of  France,  Avha 
even  respected  tJie  rights  of  precedence  in  mount- 
ing the  steps  of  the  guillotine. 


190  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

A  grand  feast  w^as  prepared  in  the  grove  to 
wliicli  were  invited  the  clergy  and  those  of  the 
habitants  whom  the  Hurons  knew  well  and  desired 
to  honor.  The  menu  was  not  in  strict  conformity 
to  the  rules  of  the  superb  epicure,  Brillat  Sava- 
rin.  But  those  who  partook  of  the  repast  were 
reared  in  that  healthy  atmosi:)here  which  demands 
no  sauce  piquante  to  suggest  appetite  to  blase 
palates.  It  consisted  of  a  soup  made  of  game  to 
which  were  added  corn  and  summer  squash  ;  fresh 
fish  from  the  clear  waters  ;  abundance  of  game, 
well  dressed;  praline  made  of  parched  corn  pound- 
ed between  two  stones  and  mixed  with  maple 
sugar  (supplying  the  place  of  the  modern  baker' s 
loaf  to  the  wayfarers  of  early  times) ;  sagamite,  a 
porridge  made  of  corn,  and  fruit  completed  the 
bill  of  fare. 

Among  those  present  was  Angelique  Couture 
who  had  been  the  "  queteuse  "  for  the  collection 
in  the  church  that  day,  a  task  she  performed  in. 
that  easy,  graceful  manner  peculiar  to  the  French 
girl.  Another  guest  was  Francois  Navarre,  whose 
father  was  prominently  connected  with  the  Indian 
trafiic,  and  whose  fluent  tongue  had  won  for  him 
the  sobriquet  of  Robiche  (the  sjDeaker).  Francois 
inherited  his  sire's  facile  and  happy  speech  which, 
added  to  charming  and  persuasive  manners,  gained 
him  many  strong  allies  among  the  fair  sex  both 


'  Legends  of  Le  Dotroit.  191 

of  Sandwich  and  Detroit.  lie  was  distantly  re- 
lated to  Angelique  and  ni;ul(^  that  slender  tie  a 
favorable  2:)retext  to  seek  frequently  the  society  of 
the  bright-eyed  coquette  who  even  carried  the 
witchery  of  her  charms  so  far  as  to  captivate  the 
hearts  of  the  savage  braves. 

As  soon  as  the  meal  was  over  the  young  men 
^ave  themselves  up  to  their  favorite  game  of  ball, 
the  chiefs  smoked  in  dignified  repose  their  be- 
loved (ralumet.  The  children  clustered  around 
"lebonpcre"  to  hear  some  holy  legend,  whilst 
others  more  -volatile  pursued  the  many  hued 
butterflies.  The  young  squaws  swept  away  the 
debris  of  the  feast,  pausing  now  and  then  to 
caress  the  little  dusky  pax)00se  who,  suspended 
in  the  birchen  cradle  on  the  bough  of  a  tree,  was 
swayed  lazily  by  the  breeze. 

Angelique  finding  no  amusement  to  divert  her, 
proposed  to  two  of  her  companions  that  they 
should  seek  the  prophetess  of  the  tribe,  of  whom 
they  had  heard  most  marvelous  tales.  The 
proposition  rather  frightened  the  timid  girls, 
but  Angelique  excited  their  curiosity  to  such  a 
degree  that  they  eagerly  followed  her,  and  as  they 
leisurely  strolled  along  she  kept  up  their  coui-age 
by  her  inimitable  mimicry  until  the  forest  rang 
with  their  joyous  laughtei-. 

Suddenly  a   turn   in   llicir  ]>a11i  brouulit   llifiu 


102  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

face  to  face  with  the  object  of  their  search.  Lean- 
ing over  and  stirring  a  l^ettle  on  the  smouldering 
fire,  was  the  figure  of  a  woman  wlio  was  chanting 
in  a  low  monotone  a  song  of  incantation  to  which 
she  kept  time  by  the  swaying  motion  of  her  body. 
This  was  the  dreaded  Sibyl  whose  solitary  hab- 
its, strange  wanderings  and  wonderful  gift  of 
prophecy  had  thrown  a  veil  of  mystery  over  her 
which  few  had  ever  attempted  to  raise.  No  one 
knew  her  history  save  that  she  had  been  made 
a  captive  years  before.  She  always  followed 
the  tribe  to  its  various  encampments,  yet  lived 
apart,  never  crossing  a  threshold  save  in  cases  of 
severe  sickness.  Her  knowledge  of  the  different 
healing  herbs  was  considered  equal  to,  if  not 
greater  than  that  of  the  renowned  medicine  men. 
The  old  habitants  involuntarily  crossed  themselves 
when  the  strange,  stern  woman  passed  them. 

The  girls  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment  thought 
of  flight,  but  were  arrested  by  an  unaccountable 
fascination.  The  woman  evidently  had  heard 
their  approach,  for  she  turned  slowly  and  raising 
herself  up  to  her  full  height  displayed  a  tall,  com- 
manding figure,  a  face  bronzed  by  exposure,  and 
eyes  accustomed  to  lonely  vigils.  She  asked  in  a 
deep,  sonorous  voice,  "What  do  you  seek  % "  Sum- 
moning up  courage  Angelique  tremblingly  replied,, 
"Knowledge  of  the  future."     "Heedless  ones," 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  10/} 

she  I'liplied,  "read  il  for  yourselves  ;  it  is  written 
everywhere,  on  the  brocad  face  of  the  sky,  on  the 
leaves  of  the  trees.  Ere  many  moons  this  very 
soil  will  l)e('Oine  the  scene  of  carnage;  the  air  will 
be  iilled  with  lamentations.  These  woods  which 
have  re-echoed  to  your  careless  merriment  will  re- 
sound to  the  savage  warwhoop  and  the  tomahawk 
will  gleam  in  X\\q  upraised  hands.  Lovers  will  be 
separated,  wives  will  be  made  widows  and  chil- 
dren orphans.     Go,  you  have  heard  enough." 

Passively  obeying  her  imperious  gesture  the 
girls  silently  retraced  their  steps,  with  the  gay 
smiles  frozen  on  their  lips  and  the  sunlight  faded 
from  their  eyes.  But  their  other  companions 
joining  them,  enticed  them  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  moccasin  game,  and  with  the  careless  insou- 
ciance of  youth  they  forgot  for  the  moment  the 
Sibyl  and  her  gloomy  predictions. 

The  great  comet  of  1812  shortly  afterwards  ap- 
peared as  a  premonition  of  war,  and  to  the  super- 
stitious there  were  other  signs  of  ill  omen  and  dis- 
aster. War  was  soon  declared  andspread  its  devast- 
ing  influence  over  the  land,  converting  this  fair 
region  into  a  scene  of  bloodshed  and  rendering  its 
peaceful  homes  desolate.  Angeliqne's  brothers 
fought  under  the  banner  of  St.  George,  her  lover, 
Francois,  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  These 
were  davs  of  anguish  and  suspense  to  the  sad 

13 


194  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

watchers  at  home,  and  Angelique's  heart  was 
divided  in  its  allegiance.  She  heard  of  the  battles, 
of  the  terrible  massacres,  of  the  sad  fate  of  the 
prisoners,  but  received  no  tidings  of  her  lover. 

One  day  Proctor  passed  through  Sandwich  on 
his  way  to.  his  encampment  near  the  church,  and 
elated  by  his  recent  success  at  the  battle  of  the 
river  Raisin,  was  displaying  in  proud  triumph 
his  captives,  whose  dejected  mien,  travel-worn  and 
weary  forms  covered  with  dust,  appealed  to  the 
tender  sympathies  of  the  spectators. 

Among  them  Angelique  recognized  the  stately 
figure  of  her  lover.  Stunned  by  the  blow  she  did 
not  realize  its  full  meaning,  until  the  sorrowful 
procession  had  j)assed.  Shortly  afterwards  to  her 
great  surprise,  Francois  knocked  for  admission; 
being  so  well  known  he  had  been  paroled  until 
sunset,  and  one  hour  he  had  to  spend  with  his  be- 
loved. Sad  was  the  interview,  bitter  the  parting; 
for  them  there  was  no  morrow.  The  well-known 
character  of  Proctor  whose  cruelty  equalled  that  of 
his  savage  allies,  left  no  hope  for  intercession.  The 
girl  clung  to  her  lover  and  frantically  besoiight  him 
to  fly,  to  avail  himself  of  his  liberty,  to  escape 
the  frightful  death  at  the  stake  which  awaited 
him  on  the  morrow.  Her  tender  pleadings  might 
well  unnerve  a  strong  man,  but  honor  triumphed 
and  pointing  mutely  to   the  setting  sun,  Fran- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  195 

cois  wrenclied  himself  from  lier  detaining  arms 
and  witli  her  despairiiii'-  cries  ringing  in  liis 
ears,  readied  the  camp  as  tlie  sun  was  sinking  be- 
low the  horizon. 

This  act  of  extreme  honor  commanded  even 
Indian  appreciation,  and  they  left  him  uii])ound. 
Sad  and  melancliol y  were  liis  thouglits.  J  low  much 
that  parting  with  Angeliqne*  cost  liim,  and  his 
struggle  with  love  and  honor  his  altered  face  be- 
trayed. JSIemories  of  the  past  greettnl  liim  every- 
where, with  no  ray  of  ho2:)e  to  gild  the  gloom  of 
sorrow. 

Savage  cries  of  exultation  awoke  the  doomed 
man  from  his  meditations.  He  saw  the  Indians  had 
all  rushed  to  the  beach  to  welcome  new  prisoners 
who  were  landing,  and  in  the  hurry  of  the  moment 
had  left  him  ungaurded.  His  practiced  eye  took  in 
the  situation  and  commending  his  soul  to  his 
Maker,  he  had  vanished  into  the  forest  before  the 
barbarous  warwhoops  told  him  that  his  depart- 
ure had  been  discovered,  and  that  the  red  fiends 
were  in  pursuit, 

A  squad  of  Dickson's  noted  savages  hideous 
in  war  paint  and  feathers,  surrounded  Ange- 
li([U(^'s  home.  The  interpreter  explained  that 
Francois  xsavarre  had  rej^orted  himself  as  prom- 
ised, but  taking  advantage  of  an  unguarded  mo- 
ment had  escaped.    The  Indians  were  impatient  to 


196  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

enter,  and  the  interpreter  no  longer  able  to  restrain 
tlieni,  said  tliat  the  house  must  be  searched.  Ange- 
lique  thanked  God  that  her  lover  had  escaped 
but  trembled  at  the  idea  of  his  capture,  for  it 
seemed  impossible  for  him  to  elude  his  pursuers. 
The  house  swarmed  with  the  savages  who  left  no 
spot  unvisited.  Even  the  chimneys  were  exam- 
ined and  the  beds  pierced  by  bayonets,  until  satis- 
fied that  the  fugitive  was  not  there,  the  Indians 
leaving  a  guard  in  case  he  should  seek  refuge 
there,  withdrew. 

An  Indian  chief  came  to  Angelique  a  few  days 
later  and  triumphantly  pointed  to  a  fresh  scalp 
which  hung  at  his  belt,  which  the  wretched  girl 
thought  her  lover's.  The  suspense,  followed  by 
what  she  imagined  was  his  tragic  fate,  was  too 
much  for  her  to  bear,  and  she  gradually  began  to 
fade.  Soon  afterwards  a  well-known  token  from 
her  lover  found  its  way  to  her  which  brought  life  to 
her  heart  and  health  to  her  cheeks.  She  learned 
later  that  he  had  kept  to  the  forest  until  he 
reached  where  now  is  Walkerville,  where  he  found 
a  canoe  and  crossed  to  the  American  side.  After 
the  war  there  was  great  rejoicing,  for  the  happy 
lovers  were  united. 


XXVI 


CAPTAIN  JEAN. 


A  Legend  of  the  First  Militia. 

ALEXIS  Tiotier  des  Ruisseaiix  belonged  to  a 
(listingiiislied  family  of  Quebec  ;  he  came  to 
Detroit  to  join  liis  brother-in-law,  the  brave 
and  chivalrous  Picote  DeBellestre,  the  last  French 
Commandant  of  Fort  Pontchartrain.  Des  lluis- 
seaux  here  met  and  wedded  the  beautiful  and  as- 
cetic Catherine  Godef  ro y  de  Marboeuf ,  whose  pious 
deeds  have  come  down  in  liagmentary  tradi- 
tions to  her  brother's  descendants,  who  to-day 
reside  in  Detroit,  and  who  revere  and  honor  the 
memory  of  their  saintly  ancestress.  Alexis  was 
the  first  trustee  of  Ste.  Anne's  Church,  and  the  first 
captain  of  mill  tin. 

In  1700,  when  the  lily  of  France,   which   had 


198  Legends  of  Le  Detr^oit. 

bloomed  for  sixty  years  on  the  fair  soil  of  its 
adoption,  drooped  before  the  fiery  standard  of 
England,  many  of  the  old  customs  and  traditions 
of  the  French  regime  lay  cradled  in  its  folded 
petals. 

It  was  not  until  1805  that  the  militia  system 
was  resuscitated  from  the  dust  and  cobwebs  of 
the  past,  though  an  attempt  was  made  in  1796  by 
Acting  Gov.  Sargeant.  -But  Gen.  Hull  after  or- 
ganizing the  Territorial  Government,  formed  the 
first  regiment  of  militia.  It  consisted  of  eight 
companies,  drawn  from  every  part  of  the  territory, 
except  the  District  of  Erie.  Jean  Cecire  was- 
among  the  first  of  the  French  habitants  who 
joined  the  new  militia.  To  the  diplomatic  pol- 
icy of  the  Americans,  anxious  to  conciliate  the 
'  French  element,  was  he  indebted  for  his  rank  of 
Captain  in  the  First  Regiment  of  Michigan.  He 
never  fully  recovered  from  the  shock  of  the  honor, 
and  became  so  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  im- 
portance of  his  position,  that  every  detail  of  his- 
dress  and  every  action,  bore  the  impress  of  this- 
great  event  in  his  career. 

His-  conceit,  j)retentious  manners,  and  exag- 
gerated self-importance,  were  endless  sources  of 
merriment  to  the  old  habitants,  who  possessed 
exquisite  finesse  in  quickly  detecting  the  foibles- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  199 

of  others,  and  were  happy  iu  their  piquante  re- 
marks, to  which  the  indescribable  and  expressive 
shrug  of  tlie  shoulder,  lent  its  humorous  cliarm. 

Jean  would  frequently  go  to  see  the  regular 
troops  drill.  Their  severe  discipline  and  military 
exactness  sorely  puzzled  him,  aaid  he  thought  it 
must  be  owing  to  the  words  of  command  being 
given  in  English,  in  which  there  was  a  hidden 
magic.  His  knowledge  of  the  language  was  al- 
most as  limited  as  his  use  of  the  pen,  though  his 
ingenuity  conquered  the  latter  difficulty.  The 
names  of  the  men  of  his  company  were  printed 
in  order,  so  he  used  a  pin  to  punch  a  hole  after 
the  name  of  the  absentee.  But  that  tongue  of 
his,  so  facile,  so  easy  to  control  in  French,  was 
positively  frozen  in  English.  By  wonderful  strug- 
gles he  succeeded  in  thawing  it  into  the  semblance 
of  broken  English. 

The  American  officers  stationed  at  the  fort,  to 
the  great  delight  of  Capt.  Jean,  would  frequently 
request  to  be  present  at  the  drills,  and  the  recital 
afterwards  by  a  graceful  and  graphic  tongue  of 
these  rare  and  quaint  manoeuvres,  awoke  the 
echoes  of  the  mess  room.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  one  officer  at  least,  who  had  talent  for 
sketching,  left  no  record  of  these  strange  scenes. 
He  would  have  won  a  debt  of  gratitude  from 
even  this  unleisurely  age. 


200  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

The  time  of  the  general  training  had  arrived, 
and  Capt.  Jean  was  ordered  to  drill  his  company 
on  the  commons.  IS'o  haughty  Scottish  chieftain 
ever  surveyed  his  tartan  clan  with  prouder  mien, 
or  more  happy  feelings  surging  in  his  heart,  than 
Jean  his  motley  recruits.  Some  were  in  uni- 
form, others  in  the  gay  dress  of  the  habitants, 
and  their  pieces  and  accoutrements  represented 
every  variety  known  to  the  history  of  arms. 

Gen.  Hull  was  too  exacting  in  his  requirements 
in  time  of  peace,  and  demanded  the  same  nicety 
of  order,  dress,  etc.,  as  in  the  regulars,  which 
caused  anger  and  insurbordination.  He  forgot 
that  these  stepsons  of  France,  though  they  in- 
herited the  bravery  and  love  of  glory  inseparable 
from  the  French  character,  had  been  placed  in  a 
strange  position  by  the  various  changes  of  gov- 
ernment. They  had  been  forced  to  adopt  a  pas- 
sive policy,  which  had  buried  their  enthusiastic 
natures  beneath  a  crust  of  indifference  and  indo- 
lence. Their  easy  going  life  had  little  pre^oared 
them  to  assume  at  once  the  rigid  discipline  of  the 
camp  which  Hull  tried  to  enforce,  though  gradu- 
ally they  would  have  recognized  its  utility  and 
quietly  submitted. 

Capt.  Jean  ordered  the  Sergeant  to  call  the  roll. 
He  immediately  proceeded  to  obey,  the  Captain 
standing  by  in  the  full  glory  of  regimentals. 


Legends  of  Le  DHroit.  201 

Sergeant — "Attention,  Companie  Francais  Ca- 
nadians !  Answer  your  name  when  I  call  it,  if 
you  please.     Took  Tock  Livernois  '.  " 

No  answer;  at  last  a  voice  says,  "Not  here, 
gone  catch  his  lambreuer  (fast  j)acer)  in  the  bush," 

Captain — "Sergeant,  put  peen  hole  in  dat  man  ! 
•Go  head!" 

Sergeant — "  Laurant  Bondy  V 

"Here,  sah." 

' '  Claude  Campau  % ' ' 

"Here,  Monsieur." 

"Antoine  SaliotteT' 

Some  one  answers — "Little  baby  came  last 
night  at  his  house,  must  stay  home." 

Captain — "  Sergeant,  put  one  preek  on  dat 
.man's  name." 

Sergeant — " L  'enfant  Riopelle  ? " 

"Here,  sah." 

Sergeant — "Pitou  Laforest  ?" 

"Here,  sah." 

Sergeant — "  Simon  Meloche?" 

"Not here.  Gone  to  spear  mushrat  for  argent 
blanc." 

Captain — "  Sergeant,  take  your  jun  and  scratch 
•dat  man." 

After  the  roll  was  called  and  the  absentees 
pricked  the  Captain  proceeded  to  drill  his  com- 
pany. 


202  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Captain — "  March ee  !  Mes  camarades,  deux  par 
deux  (two  and  two)  like  oxen,. and  when  you 
come  to  dat  stump  stop," 

They  all  made  for  the  place  and  got  there  in  a 
heap,  looking,  with  their  various  colored  dresses, 
like  a  rainbow  on  a  spree.  Disgusted  at  their 
awkwardness,  the  Captain  gave  them  a  few  min- 
utes relaxation.  Instead  of  resting  '  'au  militaire, ' ' 
they  rushed  off,  one  to  smoke  his  beloved  pipe, 
another  to  polish  his  carbine,  whilst  others  amused 
themselves  sitting  on  the  grass  and  telling  about 
the  races. 

The  Captain  called  them  to  try  again.  This 
time  he  said :  ' '  Marchee  as  far  as  dat  Soulier  de 
boeuf  (old  shoe)  in  de  road,  den  turn !  Right, 
gauche,  left  about !  Shoulder  xm\s,-lceete  !  Avance 
done,  back  !     Drill  fineesh  ! ' ' 

An  English  Sergeant  drilled  the  company  dur- 
ing the  war  of  1812,  and  was  a  source  of  great  ad- 
miration to  Capt.  Jean. 

At  the  battle  of  Mongaugon  Capt.  Jean  led  his 
company.  They  fought  well  and  bravely,  but  he 
lost  his  Sergeant  and  his  men  began  to  waiver. 
Jean  was  brave  but  powerless  to  rally  them,  or 
make  them  fall  in  ranks.  He  forgot  the  few 
words  of  command  he  was  master  of,  and  great 
beads  of  perspiration  stood  on  his  brow.  At  last 
he  broke  forth : 


Legend  Si  of  Le  Deiro'd.  203 

"Fix  yourself,  as  pauvre  Jim  did,  den,  by  Gar, 
follow  me." 

^fany  years  aftei-wards  a  son  of  Capt.  Jean, 
who  bad  inherited  liis  lather's  military  taste  and 
some  of  his  peculiarities,  once  met  old  Oshkosh, 
Black  Hawk's  celebrated  lieutenant. 

The  dusky  warrior  was  quietly  seated  in  one  of 
the  inns  of  the  day,  enjoyini;-  his  calumet,  envel- 
oped in  a  soft  mist  of  smoke  which  wove  his 
thoughts  with  the  past.  Suddenly  a  loud  voice 
resounded,  and  a  gay  figure  entered  with  a  swag- 
gering bearing,  rudely  snapping  the  thread  of 
Oshkosh' s  reverie.  Many  were  present  who  knew 
the  old  brave's  aversion  to  the  militia,  and  thought 
of  amusing  themselves  at  his  expense  ;  so  they 
introduced  Lt.  Cecire.  From  under  his  bushy 
eyebrows  the  Indian  gazed  at  him  and  grunted 
forth  : 

"Infantry?" 

"No,"  was  the  reply. 

"Dragoon  V 

"No." 

"Artillery?" 

"No." 

Pausing  a  moment  to  think  if  there  were  another 
branch  of  the  service  in  wliich  to  locate  the  Lieu- 
tenant, suddenly  a  light  dawned  on  the  Indian's 


204  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

mind.  Hastily  jumping  up,  lie  with  a  most  dis- 
gusted expression  Mssed : 

"Melish?" 

"Yes,"  was  the  triumphant  reply. 

"Oh,  h — 1,"  said  Oshkosh,  and  rushed  from  the 
house. 


XXVII 


KENNETTE'S  VISION. 


A  Xiegrend  of  Springrwells. 

A  FEW  years  ago  the  figure  of  an  old  woman: 
was  frequently  seen  on  our  principal  streets, 
whose  qnaint  dress,  erect  bearing  and  keen 
piercing  eyes,  challenged  the  attention  of  every 
passer-by.  She  seemed  to  be  a  relic  of  a  past  age, 
who  had  strayed  by  accident  into  the  present  and 
was  at  variance  with  her  surroundings.  To-day, 
after  slumbering  for  fifteen  years,  her  restless 
spirit  seems  to  revive  and  cause  agitation  in  civil 
as  well  as  political  circles. 

Marie  Louise  Thebault,  generally  called  "  Ken- 
nette,"  well  known  to  the  older  portion  of  our 
French  community  and  by  tradition  to  its  younger 
members,  dwelt  in  a  little  old  wooden  house  on 


206  Legends  of  Le  Detroit 

the  River  road,  opposite  the  Lafferty  homestead. 
A  stately  elm  threw  its  majestic  shadow  over  the 
humble  dwelling,  seeming  to  shield  it  from  rude 
winter  blasts  and  to  protect  it  from  the  summer's 
intense  sun.  Alone  she  lived  here  like  a  hermit. 
Her  sister  had  married  against  her  wishes,  for 
Kennette  was  no  advocate  of  matrimony.  She  be- 
lieved in  woman's  rights  ;  was  a  sort  of  pioneer 
in  that  doctrine  among  the  people  of  those  times, 
and  to-day  would  have  been  a  powerful  ally  to 
the  leading  spirits  of  the  question. 

A  distinguished  writer  says :  ' '  Show  me  a 
man's  room  and  I  will  tell  you  his  character." 
Kennette' s  dress  forcibly  illustrated  the  applica- 
tion of  the  remark.  It  was  stamped  by  her  strong 
individuality.  At  all  seasons  she  wore  a  calico 
dress,  rather  scant,  short  enough  not  only  to 
clear  the  ground,  but  to  bring  out  in  bass-relief  an 
ankle  whose  outline  freed  it  from  all  suggestive- 
ness  of  symmetry.  Hooks  and  eyes,  and  even 
buttons,  were  superfluous  luxuries  when  pins 
could  be  substituted,  and  failing  these  a  thorn 
would  answer.  A  red  handkerchief  around  her 
neck  was  crossed  on  her  breast ;  a  coarse  cotton 
cap  with  a  deep  frill,  innocent  of  starch  and 
fluting,  emphasized  each  movement  of  that  decided 
head  ;  a  check  sunbonnet  for  outside  wear,  a  blue 
umbrella  and  a  pair  of  stout  shoes  of  her  own 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  'J<>7 

manufacture,  completed  a  costume  as  character- 
istic as  it  was  uiiiciiie. 

She  seemed  to  scorn  the  usual  gentler  accom- 
plishments of  her  sex,  yet  with  a  strange  incon- 
sistency frequently  found  in  positive  natures,  she 
hated  man,  but  adopted  his  pursuits.  Never  did 
her  voice  keep  time  to  the  music  of  the  spiiiiiiiig 
wheel,  nor  did  the  steel  needles  Hash  througli 
those  fingers  knitting  stockings  in  which  so 
many  weave  the  history  of  their  past,  or  build 
€astles  for  the  future.  Seated  on  a  wooden  bench, 
with  all  the  cobbler  s  implements,  she  would  vol- 
unteer to  make  shoes  for  the  children  and  warrant 
their  durability,  and  even  the  most  pronounced 
hoyden  found  Miss  Kennette's  sabots  j-^/tW  de  re- 
sistance^ which  defied  everything  save  beauty. 

No  cat  ever  basked  in  the  warmth  of  her  hearth, 
no  cow  stood  in  her  stall,  no  dog  barked  a  joyous 
welcome  as  she  crossed  the  threshold  of  her 
dreary  and  lonesome  home.  These  were  luxuries 
only  for  the  wealthy,  she  said.  Her  means  were 
more  than  sufficient  to  gratify  her  simple  tastes 
and  to  allow  her  some  indulgences,  but  she  was 
penurious  to  a  miserly  extent.  The  neighbors 
along  the  River  road  all  knew  her  well,  and  al- 
ways gave  her  vegetables  and  fruits.  Her  evenings 
were  invariably  spent  out  to  save  light  and  fuel, 
and  it  was  a  rare  treat  and  a  token  of  particular 


208  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

good  will  if  Miss  Kennette  brought  her  violin.  She 
had  a  good  ear  for  music,  and  with  cultivation 
might  have  been  an  excellent  performer,  but  her 
untutored  efforts  were  rather  crude.  The  children 
would  cluster  around  her  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance, for  Miss  Kennette  was  a  warm  advocate  of 
the  doctrine  that ' '  children  should  be  seen,  not 
heard."  Woe  to  the  little  urchin  whose  percept- 
ive powers  were  too  keen  and  who  dared  to  ask  why 
Miss  Kennette  used  so  much  rosin,  and  was  al- 
ways shifting  corners,  complaining  one  was  too 
warm,  another  too  cool  for  her  violin,  and  why 
she  did  not  make  it  speak  like  George  Maison- 
ville's  (a  noted  fiddler  in  those  days).  A  tingling 
sensation  and  a  peculiar  redness  of  the  ear  warned 
the  luckless  boy  not  to  repeat  his  questions. 

She  read  much,  and  mostly  works  that  tended 
to  render  her  skeptical  in  religious  matters.  She 
had  no  patience  with  those  who  told  her  wonder- 
ful stories  of  apparitions.  She  was  always  ready 
for  an  argument,  and  would  emphasize  her  dec- 
larations with  expressions  which,  though  original 
were  more  forcible  than  elegant.  Toward  the  close 
of  her  life  an  incident  happened  which  invested 
her  with  more  than  usual  interest,  caused  a  de- 
cided change  in  her  religious  belief  and  left  its 
impress  upon  her  character.  There  are  many  still 
living  who  have  heard  her  relate  it  and  who,  know- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  209^ 

iiii;  the  strong,  self-reliant  nature  of  the  woman, 
could  not  helj)  being  deeply  imi)ressed. 

It  was  a  bright  moonlight  night,  and  Kennette 
was  spending  the  evening  with  a  neighbor  who 
lived  near,  and  amusing  all,  as  usual,  by  her  quaint 
and  piquante  conversation.  She  was  relating  how 
she  had  allowed  an  elderly  friend  of  hers  to  rent 
a  room  in  her  house,  so  that  by  the  arrangement 
she  would  not  only  get  a  little  rent,  but  could  use 
the  fire  and  light  of  her  boarder  ;  that  this  person 
was  always  preaching  to  her  and  destroyed  all 
her  pleasure,  and  that  if  her  instincts  of  econ- 
omy were  not  so  well  developed,  she  would  not 
go  near  her.  ''It  is  not  pleasant,"  she  said,  ''to 
be  told  that  the  books  I  read  are  wicked,  that  they 
instill  poison  into  my  heart,  and  that  when  I  am 
old  I  will  be  stranded  on  the  shore  of  remorse  and 
despair.  Well,  to  hush  her  uj)  I  made  an  agree- 
ment. 'I  don't  believe  in  hell  or  purgatory,'  I 
said,  '  so  if  you  die  first  come  back  ;  if  I  should,  I 
will  return.  Just  apjDear  and  I  will  know  that 
there  is  such  a  place.'  " 

The  bargain  was  made,  and  Kennette  for  a  Avliile 
sunned  heiself  in  the  borrowed  warmth  of  another's 
fire  and  had  cont<>ntment.  But  the  restless  Ken- 
nette soon  quarreled  with  the  boarder,  a  good, 
pious  soul,  and  told  her  she  would  never  forgive 
her  for  some  imaginary  wrong  she  fancied  the  old 


210  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

woman  had  done  her.  Shortly  afterwards  the 
boarder  died,  and  Kennette  stood  inflexibly  and 
sternly  beside  the  dying  l)edside  and  said  she 
would  not  forgive,  but  their  compact  would  hold. 

Whilst  she  was  talking  to  her  neighbors  one 
evening  and  sipping  cider,  of  which  she  was  very 
fond,  one  of  the  boys  of  the  house  returning 
from  town,  asked  Miss  Kennette  why  she  left  a 
light  burning  in  her  house,  fot  knowing  the  old 
woman's  miserly  liabits,  he  had  thought  it  strange. 
Jumping  up  and  seizing  a  poker,  she  said  she 
would  go  over  and  find  out  who  dared  enter  her 
habitation.  Ctthers  accompanied  her.  Nothing 
but  darkness  reigned  there,  although  the  boy 
,said  positively  he  had  seen  a  light ;  they  thought 
probably  it  was  the  light  of  a  fisherman's  boat 
passing  on  the  river,  and  dismissed  the  subject. 
But  night  after  night  the  same  occurrence  took 
place  and  people  spoke  about  it  and  avoided 
passing  near  the  old  house.  It  always  happened 
on  an  evening  when  Miss  Kennette  was  away. 

Worried  by  the  reports,  and  having  witnessed 
this  shifting  light  and  searched  everywhere  for  it. 
Miss  Kennette  determined  to  discover  the  cause, 
for  she  was  not  at  all  superstitious  nor  afraid  of 
anything. 

One  evening  she  returned  earlier  than  usual, 
softly  let  herself  in  by  the  back  door  and  imme- 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  211 

diately  retired.  Hardly  had  slie  composed  her- 
self to  slee]\when  she  saw  the  reflection  of  a  dim 
light  on  the  wall  at  the  head  of  the  stairs.  Tlie 
upper  room  was  not  divided  and  the  staircase  was 
in  the  center.  The  light  grew  larger  and  larger, 
as  if  a  person  were  carrying  it  \\\\  the  stairs. 
Seated  bolt  upright  in  her  bed,  which  was  in  a 
corner  of  the  room  ne;ii"  the  west  window,  Ken- 
nette  watched  for  flie  solution  of  a  mystery  which 
had  so  long  baffled  her.  A  stranger  to  fear,  she 
was  cool  and  collected,  and  patiently  waited  the 
developments.  At  last  the  light  seemed  to  have 
arrived  on  the  top  step.  It  was  no  candle,  no 
lantern,  but  a  |)<iculiar  vivid  white  light.  It 
glided  along  the  wall  and  as  it  came  nearer  to  her 
bed,  it  suddenly  assumed  the  outlines  of  a  figure 
draped  in  clouds.  Then  a  tremor  ran  through 
her.  Her  blood  became  chilled;  new  sensations 
crept  over  her.  Rousing  herself  she  rubbed  her 
eyes,  saw  she  was  not  dreaming  and  realized  that 
it  was  no  idle  fancy  but  a  fearful  reality.  Slowly 
was  the  apparition  gliding  along  towards  her.  See- 
ing she  nuist  do  something  to  arrest  its  progress, 
she  said  :  "  Come  no  nearer  ;  I  know  you.  I  believe 
and  T  forgive,"  and  as  the  mysterious  light  came, 
so  it  disa|)i)eared. 

From  that  day  forward  all  noticed  a  change. 
The  dark  hair  was  bleaclied,  wrinldes  were  writ- 


212 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 


ten  oh  that  stern  face  and  a  softer  expression 
played  over  it.  She  returned  to  the  faithful  per- 
formance of  her  spiritual  duties,  and  the  Nemesis 
which  had  haunted  her  steps  appeared  satisfied, 
for  the  weird  light  was  seen  no  more  in  her  des- 
olate home. 


XXVIII 

THE   FISHERMAN   OF   GROSSE   POINTE. 


A  Legrend  of  the  Grand  Marais. 

GROSSE  POINTE  was  peculiarly  congenial  to 
the  early  settlers  by  its  position,  its  beauty 
and  other  advantages.  Perhaps  a  shadow 
of  sentiment  rested  upon  it  in  its  suggestion  of 
picturesque  Normandy,  souvenirs  of  which  were 
tenderly  cherished  by  the  pioneers.  Wherever 
we' go  we  carry  the  image  of  our  early  surround- 
ings, and  unconsciously  a  new  place  or  scene 
appeals  to  us,  by  the  resemblance  it  bears  to  this 
revered  picture.  The  imagination,  like  a  skillful 
diplomat,  catches  its  clue  from  the  heart,  and 
weaves  its  alluring  net -work  of  enchantment. 
Even  inanimate  objects  contribute  to  this  decep- 
tion, for  we  remain  attached  to  the  down  on  which 


214  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

our  prosperity  has  slumbered,  and  still  more  to 
the  straw  on  whiclj  we  counted  the  days  of  our 
adversity. 

The  waters  of  Lake  Ste.  Claire  grow  shallow  as 
they  near  the  shores  of  Grosse  Pointe,  as  if  un- 
willing to  break  the  harmonious  silence  by  harsher 
sounds  than  the  low  breathing  of  its  waves  on  the 
j)ebbles,  thus  affording  a  safe  haven  from  severe 
storms,  and  allowing  the  timorous  to  stray  a  great 
distance  out  without  fear  of  a  worse  fate  than  a 
ducking.  Here,  as  along  ' '  La  Cote  du  Nord  Est, ' ' 
fishing  was  extensively  carried  on,  and  with  the 
same  avidity  as  at  present.  An  old  tradition  say's 
that  here  two  bachelor  brothers  resided,  whose 
skill  in  the  manufacture  of  nets  and  w^hose  suc- 
cessful hauls  of  fish  were  widely  known,  Hy polite 
and  Pierrish  Tremblay  by  name.  The  elder  was. 
surnamed  Le  Gascon,  from  the  wonderful  things 
he  reported  having  seen,  and  from  his  supersti- 
tious nature.  They  exchanged  their  daily  catch  of 
fish  with  their  neighbors  for  corn,  I'huile  d'ours 
(bear's  oii),  a  dainty  edible  then,  and  other  nec- 
essaries. 

Their  pursuits,  like  the  commercial  ventures  of 
modern  times,  were  subject  to  fluctuations.  One 
autumn  their  nets  were  frozen  into  the  ice  by  a 
sudden  sharp  cold.  When  the  early  spring  thaw 
came,  it  broke  up  the  nets  and  carried  them  away. 


Legends  of  Le  Ditroit.  215 

More  provident  1h;ni  tlif  jivcrage  fuii-loviiig- Ca- 
nadian, they  liad  sufficient  "livres  tours"  (the- 
currency  of  the  day)  to  begin  anew.  "  Soineliow 
luck  deserted  them  and  appeared  to  have  drift- 
ed away  in  the  broken  meshes  of  the  okl  nets, 
for  morning  and  evening  wlicii  they  drew  in  the 
seine  it  was  empty,  save  for  a  few  meagre  lierring 
and  hungrj'  catfish,  instead  of  the  succulent  white 
fish  and  muskallonge.*  Tlie  prosj^ect  seemed  dark 
for  tli<»  fisliermen,  and  a  plenary  court  of  Lent 
would  soon  reign  if  matters  coiitiiiu<'(l  thus  much 
longer. 

"'Let  us  consult  le  bon  pere,"  said  Pierrish, 
the  younger,  after  the  brothers  had  been  discuss- 
ing tile  ])rp('arious  situation.  "  Bah  !  "  answered 
Hypolite  witli  a  feeble  expression.  He  was  much 
given  to  profanity,  had  received  several  rebukes 
on  that  score  from  the  priest,  and  hence  was  not 
friendly  toward  liim.  "He  can  do  nothing  ;  some 
enemy  has  '  donnce  le  sort' (bewitched)  our  lisliery, 
it  is  no  use  trying  to  do  anything ;  I  am  going 
elsewhere,  you  may  remain  if  you  wish."  ISo  the 
brothers  separated,  one  to  search  for  new  fishing 
grounds,  the  other  to  consult  th<^  i)riest.  Pienisli 
laid  the  situation  before  the  cure,  who  listened 
attentively,  then  said,  "Mon  fils,  choose  St.  Pat- 

*Muskanoge,  corniptL-d  iuto  Muskallonge,  is  the  tinest  lisli  of 
the  lakes. 


216  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

rick  as  your  partner  and  divide  each  day's  catcli 
with  him,  selling  the  Saint's  portion  for  the  poor."* 

On  his  homeward  way,  Pierrish  revolved  in  his 
mind  the  advice  of  the  priest,  and  made  a  solemn 
vow  to  follow  it  strictly.  Full  of  hope,  he  cast 
his  nets  that  evening,  promising-  it  to  be  the 
Saint' s  portion  ;  the  morning  haul  he  would  mod- 
estly reserve  for  himself.  So  when  the  net  came 
in  it  was  filled  with  fish,  and  while  his  catch  in 
the  morning  was  empty,  the  Saint' s  was  always 
full.  He  pondered  over  the  matter  and  was 
strongly  tempted  to  keep  the  Saint's  portion. 
Hypolite  taunted  him  with  his  ill-luck,  yet  Pier- 
rish remembered  his  vow  and  conscientiously 
brought  the  fish  for  sale,  giving  the  proceeds  to 
the  poor.  Finding  that  this  mode  was  ruining 
him,  he  again  visited  the  priest  and  told  him  of 
his  misfortune.  The  priest,  after  hearing  his 
story,  said  : 

' '  Your  simple  faith  and  honesty  will  meet  with 
its  reward.  Divide  the  proceeds  of  each  net  with 
your  partner.  You  have  stood  a  test  of,  honesty 
which  few  in  your  position  could  have  done." 
From  that  time  Pierrish  became  so  successful  that 

*  It  was  a  beautiful  custom  then  to  bring  to  the  church  door  the 
first  fruits,  fish  or  game,  of  the  season,  selling  them  to  the  highest 
bidder,  the  proceeds  going  to  the  poor,  and  for  masses  to  relieve 
the  suffering  souls  of  purgatory. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  217 

he  was  known  as  "the  Incky  lisli<Mnian  of  Grosse 
Pointe." 

Hypolite  met  witli  indifferent  success,  was  al- 
ways warning  liis  brother,  and  looked  with  dis- 
trust upon  this  saintly  partnership.  His  super- 
stitious nature  always  conjured  up  some  evil 
omen.  "You  will  be  inveigled  into  the  lake  and 
turned  into  a  lish.  Do  you  not  remember  the 
Indian  legend  relative  to  the  origin  of  the  poisson 
blanc  (white  fish),  formed  of  the  brains  of  a  woman 
■whom  the  Manitou  had  loved  for  a  while,  then 
•cracked  her  skull  on  the  rocks  of  Sault  8te. 
Marie?  Your  partner,  St.  Patrick,  wDl  play 
you  a  trick.  Did  he  not  eat  pork  chops  on  Fii- 
•day  by  di])])ing  them  in  water  and  changing  them 
into  orthodox  trout '.     Beware  !  " 

Pierrish  would  only  smile  at  his  vagaries.  One 
■day  he  was  startled  by  Hypolite  rushing  into  the 
house  in  a  state  of  nervous  excitement,  wTinging 
his  hands  and  saying  : 

"  Some  terrible  disaster  is  to  befall  one  of  us." 
.   "Explain  yourself,"  said  Pierrish. 

"Well,"  said  Hypolite,  "as  1  was  leaving  Bap- 
tiste  Cochois,  live  miles  from  here,  the  cock  <'rew 
and  Baptiste  said,  '  You  will  meet  company  on 
the  road,  that  cock  tells  you,'  I  was  trotting 
along  in  my  charrette  (cart)  when  I  spied  a  lady's 
mulf  by  the  wayside.     Thinking  it  was  stiange 


218  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

to  see  such  an  article  at  this  mild  season,  I  got 
out  to  secure  it.  As  soon  as  I  approached  it  the 
muff  began  rolling.  Becoming  angry,  and  thinking 
the  motion  was  caused  by  the  wind,  I  still  pursued 
it,  but  in  vain  ;  it  eluded  my  grasp.  Thoroughly 
frightened,  I  jumped  into  the  charrette  and  trotted 
away  as  fast  as  I  could,  but  the  terrible  thing 
followed  me  and  actually  jumped  into  and  out  of 
the  cart.     It  must  be  the  Manchon  Roulant."* 

Pierrish  said,  "If  you  had  had  holy  water 
instead  of  brandy  in  that  bottle,  you  could 
have  exorcised  that  spirit.  Go  back  where  you 
saw  the  Manchon  Roulant ;  if  it  is  still  there, 
cross  yourself  and  boldly  walk  up  to  it,  and  be- 
fore attempting  to  pick  it  up  ask,  '  What  day  of 
the  month  is  Christmas  day?'  '"'\  Hypolite,  in 
fear  and  trembling,  returned  to  the  place,  and 

*  Manchon  Roulant  ( Rolling  Muff ).  A  superstition  devoutly- 
believed  in  many  years  ago,  and  still  traditional  among  the  habit- 
ants of  Grosse  Pointe. 

f  There  were  said  to  be  two  means  to  exempt  oneself  from  any 
evil  consequences  arising  from  the  tricks  of  the  most  malicious  of 
goblins.  The  first  was,  on  meeting  the  goblin  to  ask  it,  "What 
day  of  the  month  is  Christmas  day?  "  The  goblin,  which  is  never 
very  well  up  in  the  calendar,  will  reply  by  asking  the  same  ques- 
tion. Woe  betide  the  traveller  if  he  hesitates  in  answering.  The 
second  means  was  by  placing  two  sticks  in  the  form  of  a  cross 
on  meeting  a  goblin.. 

Parents  were  very  particular  in  teaching  their  children  to  re- 
member the  day  Christmas  came  on,  to  protect  them  from  the  feu 
follet,  the  Loup  Garou  and  other  goblins. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  "IVJ 

Bure  enough  the  dreaded  object  was  there.  Fer- 
vently crossing  himself,  he  cautiously  approached 
the  mysterious  thing,  which,  strange  to  say  re- 
mained immoveable.  Closer  he  approached  the 
mysterious  ball  of  fur,  and  with  eager,  out- 
stretched hands  Avas  ready  to  seize  it,  when  sud- 
denly bethinking  himself  of  the  question  to  put 
to  it,  in  his  excitement  he  blurted  forth  his  usual 
oaths.  Instantly  there  streamed  forth  a  counter 
blast  as  from  a  fiery  furnace,  and  a  terrible  odor 
filled  the  air,  which  struck  him  full  in  the  face. 
Hypolite,  nearly  suffocated,  in  two  bounds  reached 
the  lake,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  recovered  con- 
sciousness exclaimed,  "La  bete  puante."*  His 
brother  impressed  it  upon  him  that  it  was  a  pun- 
ishment for  his  profanity,  and  whenever  after- 
wards the  Manchon  Roulant  was  mentioned  as  a 
marvelous  thing,  it  was  observed,  that  Hypolite 
suddenly  disappeared. 

*  Viiiiously  known  as  stinking  beast,  enfant  du  diable  (chikl  of 
the  devil ),  skunk,  or  pok'-cat. 


-      XXIX 

THE  GHOST  OF  MONGAUGON. 


A  Legrend  of  Hull's  Surrender. 

THE  dark,  blackened  ruins  of  a  city,  its  poor 
stricken  habitants  gazing  with  tear-stained 
eyes  on  the  gray  ashes  of  their  homes  and 
hopes.  Such  was  the  scene  which  greeted  the 
newly  appointed  Territorial  Governor  Hull,  Stan- 
ley Griswold,  the  Secretary,  and  Augustus  Wood- 
ward, the  Chief  Justice,  on  their  arrival  at  Detroit 
the  morning  of  the  6th  of  June,  1805.  The  night 
before  a  destructive  fire  had  swept  away  every 
vestige  of  the  old  French  town.  Its  quaint  houses 
constructed  of  square  logs,  the  steep  roofs  pierced 
with  dormer  windows  and  crossed  with  ladders  in 
case  of  fire,  its  narrow  streets  of  sixteen  feet  and 
sidewalks  a  foot  wide  formed  of  hewn  logs,  its 


Legends  of  Le  JJctroit.  221 

Norman  and  Indian  relics,  tlie  quaint  old  furni- 
ture valuable  only  for  its  association  with  the 
past,  decrees,  deeds,  letters  and  documents  price- 
less legacies  to  the  historian,  perished  in  that 
ni^ht.  Fate  seemed  to  say,  "This  is  a  liok)caust 
to  departed  memories.  The  cross  of  St.  (xeorge, 
the  lily  of  France  have  been  dismantled,  but  the 
bright  stars  gleam  like  gems  of  promise  through 
the  tattered  shreds.  Cheer  up,  the  past  claims 
only  your  tears,  the  future  will  bring  to  you  pros- 
perity and  happiness  which  you  have  sought  in 
vain  for  an  hundred  years."  Judge  Woodward 
recognized  the  moment  as  a  propitious  one  to  Avin 
the  hearts  of  the  French  settlers,  and  thus  elo- 
quently championed  their  rights,  when  it  became 
necessary  to  divide  the  land  and  partition  it  among 
the  dispossessed  habitants:  "He  will  not  argue 
with  you  on  your  laws,  or  your  forms,  or  your 
systems  of  policy  and  government.  He  looks 
only  for  that  pittance  of  soil  on  which,  perhaps, 
he  drew  his  breath.  He  cannot  be  intimidated 
by  threats,  nor  be  induced  to  part  witli  Ins  lands, 
the  hopes  of  himself  and  family,  by  any  allure- 
ments of  money.  Tell  him  that  you  will  dispos- 
sess him  ;  he  folds  his  hands  with  a  pious  resigna- 
tion and  commits  the  event  to  God.  Amidst  tlie 
collisions  of  nations,  the  incessant  din  of  arms, 
the  tide  of  revolution,  h<>  has  lost  a  country  to  love 


^22  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

and  by  which  to  be  loved  in  return.  Cast  among 
strangers  to  his  language,  his  jurisprudence  and 
religion,  he  asks  only  a  small,  obscure  spot  upon 
the  earth  on  which  to  spend  in  peace  the  Heeting 
transit  of  his  existence." 

A  new  town  had  sprung  from  the  ruins  of  the 
old  one,  and  the  poor  country-tossed  settlers  had 
thought  that  at  last  they  were  anchored  in  peace. 
The  tocsin  of  war  was  sounded  again  in  1812. 
Gov.  Hull,  enfeebled  by  age,  and  perhaps  too 
friendly  toward  the  enemy,  was  defending  the 
beleaguered  garrison  against  a  powerful  force  of 
British  with  their  countless  savage  allies.  The 
brave  troops,  under  Cass,  Mc Arthur  and  other 
gallant  leaders,  were  ready  to  shed  their  blood  for 
the  defence  of  the  settlement.  The  militia,  long 
verse'd  in  Indian  warfare,  felt  confident  of  repel- 
ling the  foe.  A  series  of  preliminary  skirmishes 
were  constantly  going  on.  It  was  a  trying  crisis 
for  the  habitants ;  many  families  were  divided, 
members  of  each  being  arrayed  on  opposite  sides. 
Angus  Mcintosh,  a  Scotch  gentleman,  dwelt  with 
his  charming  family  on  the  Canadian  shore.  His 
daughter  Marie  was  beloved  by  a  young  Canadian 
officer  named  Muir,  but  who  was  too  timid  to  de- 
clare his  love. 

On  the  9th  of  August  an  attack  was  to  be  made 
at  Mongaugon  on  a  body  of  Americans  by  a  force 


Legends  of  Le  JJitroit.  223 

of  British  troops  and  Wyandot  Indians  nnder 
their  celebrated  chieftain,  Walk  in  the  Water. 
The  command  to  which  lA.  Muir  belonged  was 
assigned  the  post  of  honor  and  peril,  the  forlorn 
hope  in  the  projected  expedition.  He  felt  that 
now  was  the  time  to  tell  his  love,  that  he  could 
fight  better  knowing  that  he  bore  ]Marie"s  color 
and  was  cheered  by  her  smile.  Obtaining  a  short 
leave,  he  presented  himself  at  the  Mcintosh  man- 
sion and  found  his  lady-love  alone.  He  ^pleaded 
his  cause  with  all  a  soldier  s  ardor.  Some  un- 
accountable freak  of  coquetry  made  her  tui  n  an 
indifferent  ear  to  his  passionate  appeal.  SIk^  had 
been  annoyed  at  his  timid  wooing,  and  reasoning 
with  a  girlish  logic,  was  determined  to  retaliate. 
The  young  officer  did  not  understand  these  tactics, 
and  overcome  by  the  disapi)ointment  to  his  cher- 
ished hopes,  he  hastily  left  the  house.  Marie 
thought  he  was  only  piqued.  "  He  certainly 
must  know  that  I  love  him,""  she  argued,  "men 
are  so  stupid  and  mattoi'-of-fact ;  they  take 
months  to  make  up  their  minds  to  woo  a  girl,  and 
if  she  do  not  immediately  say  'yes'  feel  them- 
selves aggrieved  and  wounded.''  Seeing  that  he 
did  not  ivturn  she  becamt^  anxious,  and  going  to 
the  door,  called  hiuj,  but  only  the  mocking  echo  of 
his  steed's  retreating  hoofs  returned  to  her  ear. 
That  evening:  when  she  retired  to  her  loom,  the 


224:  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

shadow  of  a  great  impending  woe  seemed  to  hover 
abont  her.  The  long,  weary  hours  of  the  night 
were  measured  by  her  tears  and  self-reproaches. 
Towards  morning  exhausted  nature  asserted  her 
claim,  and  the  anguisil-rent  heart  lay  in  her  em- 
brace. But  brief  was  the  slumber.  Marie  was 
awakened  by  the  sound  of  muffled  footsteps  near 
her  bedside.  Hastily  drawing  aside  the  curtain  she 
saw  her  lover  standing  near  her  couch,  the  bright 
moonlight  revealing  every  detail  of  his  figure. 
His  face  was  that  of  a  corpse,  whilst  blood  oozed 
from  a  ghastly  wound  in  his  forehead.  A  faint- 
ness  seized  her  as  she  heard  a  far-away  voice  say,^ 
"  Fear  not,  Marie,  I  fell  to-night  in  honorable  battle. 
I  was  shot  through  the  head.  My  body  lies  in  a 
thicket.  I  beg  you,  rescue  it  from  the  despoiling 
hand  of  the  savage  and  from  the  wild  beasts  of 
the  forest.  The  Americans  will  not  long  exult. 
Traitors  sit  around  their  camp  fires  and  listen  ta 
their  councils.  Our  blood  has  not  been  shed  in 
vain.  The  standard  of  old  England  Avill  float 
again  over  Detroit.  Farewell,  may  you  be  happy.' ' 
As  he  spoke  he  touched  lightly  her  right  hand. 
At  that  terrible  sensation  of  coldness  born  only  of 
the  grave,  she  sank  into  unconsciousness. 

The  sun  was  flooding  her  room  when  she  re- 
turned to  her  senses,  and  to  a  dim  remembrance 
of  a  most  frightful  dream.     Trying  to  recall  eacli 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  225 

detail  she  suddenly  glanced  at  her  hand,  ;ind  to 
lier  horror  saw  that  it  had  been  branded  by  the 
phantom  touch;  there  was  its  impress  left  by  deep, 
dark  marks.  It  was  not  then  a  dream  but  a 
reality,  and  a  sacred  mission  had  been  intrusted 
to  her.  Hurriedly  throwing  on  her  garments  she 
called  for  her  horse,  bade  a  servant  follow  her, 
and  rode  at  full  speed  to  Brock's  camp  at  Maiden. 
Here  all  was  in  a  state  of  commotion.  She  found 
Walk  in  the  Water,  whom  she  knew  well,  as- 
tonished him  by  telling  him  about  the  battle, 
and  induced  him  to  paddle  her  in  a  canoe  over 
the  river  to  the  battle  field.  Here,  in  tlie  thicket, 
with  a  bullet  hole  in  his  head,  she  found  her  dead 
lover,  and  ordered  the  savages  to  take  his  remains 
to  Sandwich  for  burial.  On  that  sad  anniversary 
for  many  years  afterwards,  the  ghostly  form  of  a 
British  officer  could  be  seen  gliding  through  the 
shady  groves  of  Mongaugon  towards  the  river. 
Marie  won  later  the  love  of  a  noble  man  who  had 
heard  of  her  early  romantic  story.  Ever  after- 
wards she  wore  a  blacdv  glove  on  her  right  hand, 
and  every  9th  of  August,  dressed  as  a  mendicant, 
sandal  footed,  she  went  from  house  to  house  from 
Sandwich  to  AVindsor  asking  alms  for  the  poor. 
*  It  was  a  penance  self-imposed  in  atonement  for 
her  pride  and  coquetry. 

The  soldier's  prediction  proved  tiiie.     On  the 

'     15 


226  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

16th  of  August,  whilst  Judges  Moran  and  With- 
erell  (then  mere  boys,  but  who  in  their  patriotism 
had  enrolled  themselves  in  Jacques  Campeau's 
company)  were  on  guard,  they  noticed  a  white 
flag  suddenly  hoisted.  The  excitement  was  in- 
tense when  it  was  learned  that  it  was  the  signal 
of  surrender.  So  unexpected,  so  uncalled  for 
an  event  cansed  the  soldiers  to  doubt  it.  Gen. 
Cass,  in  his  indignation,  broke  his  sword  in  pref- 
erence to  giving  it  up  to  the  enemy,  an  example 
followed  by  many  others.  As  the  British  troops 
marched  in  triumx)h  into  the  fort,  the  long  line  of 
French  militia  stood  with  bowed  heads  and  tears  of 
shame  coursing  down  their  bronzed  faces,  as  for 
the  fourth  time  they  saw  the  flag  they  felt  so  able 
to  defend  changed  for  that  of  their  hereditary 
foes. 

Wayne  Co.,  from  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne,  who  first  raised  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  over  Detroit. 

Woodward  Ave.,  from  Augustus  Brevoort  Woodward,  the  first 
>Chief  Justice  of  Michigan. 

Gkiswoi.d  St.,  after  Gov.  Hull's  Secretary. 

Bates  St.,  from  Judge  Bates. 

Shelby  St.,  from  the  gallant  Kentucky  Governor. 

CroghanSt.,  from  a  young  officer  who  distinguished  himself 
in  the  war  of  1813. 

Cass  Ave.,  also  Cass  St.,  after  Gen.  Lewis  Cass. 

Macomb  St.  ,  after  Gen.  Alex.  Macomb. 

Through  the  ignorance  of  street  car  conductors,  and  the  lack  of 
interest  or  veneration  for  the  past  evinced  by  some  members  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  227 

the  Common  Council,  the  old  system  of  nomenclature  was  changed 
and  the  numerical  one  adopted.  The  intelligence  of  those  who 
advocated  this  system  seems  to  have  been  limited  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  and  the  numerals. 

AiiPKNTS. — The  French  arpent  is  a  square,  the  side  of  which 
is  193  feet  8  inches. 

The  American  acre  is  a  square,  the  side  of  which  is  208  feet  8^ 
inches. 


XXX 


THE  EVE  OF  EPIPHANY. 


A  liegrend  of  Perry's  Victory. 


I  HE  visitor  to  Detroit's  "Hotel  de  Yille" 
(City  Hall)  will  notice  on  either  side  of 
the  main  entrance,  two  "long  nines" 
mounted  on  stone  carriages.  These  grim  sen- 
tinels are  the  trophies  of  the  great  "Battle  of 
Lake  Erie."  The  proud  Mistress  of  the  Seas  for 
the  first  time  in  her  history  was  forced  to  sur- 
render an  entire  fleet,  and  to  children  whose  gi'and- 
sires  she  had  cradled.  Young  America  points  to 
these  cannons  with  pride  and  a  glow  of  patriot- 
ism steals  into  his  heart  as  he  reads  the  thrilling 
account  of  the  battle.  The  grey  haired  Octogen- 
arian tenderly  pats  the  guns  and  recalls  memories 


Legends  of  Le  DHroit.  229 

of  days  that  have  gone,  social  pleasures,  friends  of 
his  youth  and  beauty  mouldering  in  the  grave. 

In  1801,  some  years  before  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities  with  England,  the  habitants  of  these 
"Cotes  "  had,  with  returning  jprosperity  resumed 
much  of  their  old  time  gaiety.  In  Winter  the  ex- 
citing races  on  the  ice  between  the  swift  French 
ponies ;  in  the  Spring  the  annual  crop  of  wed- 
dings with  the  long  procession  of  "charrettes" 
(French  carts)  laden  with  a  joyous,  light-hearted 
freight  of  gay  girls  ;  and  in  Autumn  the  corn 
huskings,  were  again  in  vogue.  Each  feast 
day  of  the  church  had  its  peculiar  and  appro- 
priate customs  handed  down  from  their  Norman 
ancestry. 

It  Avas  on  the  eve  of  one  of  these,  the  Epipli- 
nny,  tliat  in  a  hospitable  old  mansion  on  the 
present  site  of  Windsoi*,  was  ;isseuil)led  a  ]>n*lliant 
party  of  stately  dames,  fair  demoiselles  and  courtly 
cavaliers,  mingled  with  the  elite  of  the  young 
Scotch  element.  There  seemed  to  be  some  latent 
chord  of  syui])athy  between  these  l)rave  Iligli- 
landers  and  the  French,  for  intermarriages  wei'e 
of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  table  was  laid  for  supi)er  which  was  to  be 
followed  by  gaines,  fortune  telling,  etc.  Seated 
near  the  head  of  the  tjible,  between  two  dashing 
gallants  who  had  vied  with  each  othei*  for    her 


230        '  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

bright  glances,  was  a  Kentucky  widow  on  a  visit 
to  the  settlement.  Her  husband  had  been  killed 
a  few  years  previous  in  one  of  the  Indian  raids, 
leaving  her  with  a  merry  little  boy  to  soothe  her 
grief. 

The  large  Epiphany  cake  was  cut  by  the  hosty 
each  lady  present  taking  a  piece.  It  was  then 
customary  to  j^ut  in  it  a  ring  and  a  small  w^hite 
bean.  The  lady  to  whose  lot  the  ring  fell  was- 
crowned  queen.  The  holder  of  the  bean  gave  the 
entertainment  the  following  year,  and  acted  on  the 
present  occasion,  as  maid  of  honor.  Madame 
Pairbairne  found  the  ring  and  Julie  Maisonville 
the  bean.  It  was  then  necessary  for  the  fortunate 
queen  to  select  the  king  of  Ei^iphany.  Mad- 
ame Fairbairne  blushed  as  her  eyes  wandered  from 
one  to  the  other  of  her  two  gallants,  and  she  said, 
"If  we  choose  Monsieur  Grant,  we  shall  offend 
Monsieur  Brevoort,  if  we  choose  Monsieur  Bre- 
voort  we  shall  offend  Monsieur  Grant.  We  shall 
select  the  one  who  is  to  become  the  most  distin- 
guished, and  to  ascertain  this  we  decree  that  our 
noble  Dame  D'Honneur,  Mile.  Maisonville,  shall 
take  the  grounds  from  the  pot  of  tea  and  tell  the 
fortune  of  all  three  of  us.  You  know  that  she  is- 
a  witch  herself  and  in  league  with  all  the  witches, 
so  it  is  our  royal  pleasure  that  she  shall  explain 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  231 

to  us  what  say  the  fates,  and  to  tlieir  decree  we 
must  bow,"  ' 

A  niurmiir  of  assent  greeted  the  queen's  jjrop- 
osition,  and  a.  hirge  platter  being  brought  Mile. 
Julie,  Avith  many  incantations  in  a  wild  jumble  of 
words  learned  from  the  Indian  magicians,  turned 
the  contents  of  the  teapot  out  into  the  platter, 
where  the  leaves  assumed  strange  and  wild  forms 
that  only  the  initiated  could  read.  In  those  days 
claii-voyance  and  mind  reading  were  but  little 
known,  and  there  was  more  of  a  disposition  to 
impute  effects  to  supernatural  than  to  natural 
causes.  Witchcraft  was  the  name  then  given  to 
modern  spiritualism.  Fortune  telling  was  fre- 
quently and  devoutly  believed  in,  especially  when 
the  person  was  the  seventh  daughter  of  a  seventh 
daughter.  In  those  times  of  a  plethora  of  chil- 
dren, this  was  no  uncommon  thing.  Julie  was  the 
mystic  seventh  daughter,  and  she  was  noted 
throughout  the  colony  for  her  wonderful  powers 
of  divination.  Whilst  her  beauty  was  of  a  seduc- 
tive, fascinating  order,  there  seemed  at  times  to  be 
something  beyond  human  ken  in  her  lustrous  eye. 
Though  universally  beloved  there  were  many 
who  looked  with  awe  on  her  mysterious  powers. 
After  eagerly  scanning  the  tea  grounds  she 
closed  her  eyes  a  moment  as  if  communing 
with  herself,  and  heaving  a  deep  sigh   said   in 


232  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

a  clianting  tone  to  her  profoundly  interested 
audience:  "My  friends,  I  see  here  wonderful 
things.  On  this  holy  night  of  Epiphany  when 
three  wise  men  (the  three  kings)  came  from  the 
East  and  learned  the  secrets  of  the  future,  it  is 
fitting  that  I,  the  humble  maid  of  our  gracious 
queen,  should  reveal  to  you  at  her  bidding  what  fate 
has  ordained.  This  line, ' '  pointing  toward  the  \)\^t- 
ter, ' '  represents  Monsieur  Brevoort,  and  this  Mon- 
sieur Gfrant,  whilst  this  one  describes  the  fate  of 
our  noble  queen.  These  two  young  men  are  destin- 
ed to  wonderful  careers.  To-day  they  are  intimate 
friends,  later  you  will  see  them  contending  with 
one  another  but  not  alone.  A  great  war  is  indi- 
cated accomi^anied  by  terrible  bloodshed.  The 
contest  between  these  two  seems  to  be  on  the 
water,  the  victory  for  a  time  is  evenly  balanced 
but  later  it  seems  to  belong  to  you,  Monsieur  Bre- 
voort. Your  line  of  life  is  not  ended.  Monsieur 
Grant ;  you  will  both  settle  down  by  the  lakes 
around  happy  firesides."  Suddenly  the  proph- 
etess turned  deadly  pale,  as  she  scanned  more 
critically  the  tea  grounds.  "  I  see  here  by  your 
line,  honored  queen,  the  figure  of  a  tomahawk ; 
great  trouble  will  come  to  you  through  the  Indians. 
A  little  off-shoot  of  your  line  seems  to  cross  that 
of  Monsieur  Grant,  and  ends  with  many  branches. 
This,  gracious  queen,  is  all  I  see  in  the  shadowy 


Legench  of  Le  Detroit.  233 

future."  Tlie  queen  then  addressed  her  loyal 
subjects  as  follows  :  ''  My  children,  the  words  oi" 
the  sibyl  indeed  perplex  me,  and  in  the  absence 
of  the  wise  kings  of  the  East  to  whom  I  could 
appeal,  I  am  comi)elled  to  decide  for  myself. 
Although  Monsieur  Brevoort  seems  to  carry  off 
the  palm  of  victory,  yet  my  line  seems  to  cross 
that  of  Monsieur  Grant.  My  ambition  prompts  me 
to  select  Monsieur  Brevoort  as  my  king,  but  fate 
seems  to  point  in  another  direction.  On  two  such 
charming  cavaliers  I  would  not  bring  the  trouble 
that  is  in  store  for  me.  It  is  evident  I  need  a 
strong  arm  to  protect  me,  a  king  with  an  anuy  at 
his  back.  I  therefore  choose  as  king  of  Epiphany 
(here  her  eyes  glanced  around  until  they  fell  upon 
Col.  Brush  standing  near  the  door)  the  gallant  Col- 
onel of  the  L<^gi()nary  Cori)s.  His  veterans  will  nev- 
er suffer  harm  to  come  to  their  queen.''  At  this  Col. 
Brush  came  forward  and  was  crowned  king.  The 
company,  charmed  with  the  graceful  manner  of 
the  young  widow,  applauded  her  choice.  The  fes- 
tivities were  kept  up  to  alate  hour,  but  the  union 
of  the  king  and  queen  extended  no  further  than 
Epiphany' s  eve.  She  soon  returned  with  her  little 
son  to  her  home  on  the  Kentucky  border. 

As  the  inspired  Franklin  had  said  years  before, 
^'Tlie  war  of  the  Revolution  has  been  fouglit,  the 
war  of  Independence  has  still  to  be  fought,"  the 


234  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

long  smouldering  element  at  last  burst  its  bonds. 
Detroit  disgracefully  surrendered  at  the  lirst  onset. 
An  English  fleet  built  on  the  river,  controlled  the 
lakes,  but  the  dying  words  of  the  heroic  Lawrence 
were  impressed  on  the  American  minds  :  ' '  Don' t 
give  up  the  ship."  Under  the  direction  of  the  dar- 
ing young  Rhode  Islander,  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  a 
fleet  was  hastily  constructed  at  Presque  Isle  (now 
Erie)  on  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie.  On  the 
10th  of  September,  1813,  from  his  look-out  on  Grib- 
raltar  Island,'-  Put-in-Bay,  Perry  discovered  the 
British  fleet  sailing  out  of  the  Detroit  River  to 
attack  him.  It  was  composed  of  six  vessels 
carrying  seventy  guns.  The  Americans  had  nine 
vessels  carrying  tifty-four  guns.  In  weight  of 
metal  and  efficiency,  the  British  fleet  seemed  su- 
perior and  its  commander,  Barclay,  was  one  of 
Nelson's  veterans.  Young  Perry  flung  out  his 
ensign  with  the  legend, "  Don't  give  up  the  ship," 
and  was  determined  that  day  to  conquer  or  die. 
When  twilight  had  set  in  that  night,  American 
valor  had  enabled  him  to  write  this  immortal 
despatch  from  his  ship  moored  off  one  of  the 
Three  Sisters  Islands  '*  "We  have  met  the  enemy, 

*Now  the  summer  residence  of  Jay  Cooke. 

*Three  Sisters  Island,  said  to  have  received  the  name  from  three- 
Indian  squaws  whose  tongues  were  so  sharp  tliat  their  father  for 
peace  sake  had  to  exile  them  to  three  islands  near  the  mouth  of 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  235 

and  they  are  ours, — two  sliips,  two  brigs,  one 
schooner,  one  sloop."  This  was  the  decisive  blow  of 
the  war.  Harrison  soon  afterwards  drove  the  cow- 
ardly Proctor  from  Detroit  and  unfurled  again  the 
starry  flag,  where  long  may  it  wave. 

In  command  of  the  maiines  on  the  American 
fleet  was  Lt.  Henry  Brevoort,  of  the  8rd  regiment 
of  U.  S.  Infantry  detailed  for  duty  on  the  fleet. 
Later  he  was  known  as  "  Commodore"  Brevoort.* 
Congress  voted  him  a  medal  for  his  gallantry  and 
his  grateful  country  will  ever  cherish  his  memory. 
Commodore  Alexander  Grant  commanded  one  of 
the  British  vessels  in  the  action.  He  married 
Miss  Barthe  at  Detroit,  and  after  the  war  built  his 
residence,  called  "Grant's  Castle,"  at  Grosse 
Pointe,  where  it  was  the  scene  of  much  hospi- 
tality. 

Shortly  after  one  of  the  Indian  raids  into  Ohio 
and  Kentucky,  Mrs.  Grant  heard  that  a  band  of 
savages  had  encamped  at  Belle  Isle.  They  were 
going  to  hold  a  "powwow"  to  celebrate  their 
exploits,  and  to  torture  and  burn  a  young  white 
captive  whose  rnother  they  had  killed. 

The  Commodore  was  away,  but  his  wife's  moth- 

the  Detroit.  They  are  called  East  Sister,  Middle  Sister  and  West 
Sister. 

*Conijno(lore  Brevoort  inarricfl  Miss  ('atliorinc  Navarre,  named 
from  her  aunt,  the  mother  of  General  Alexander  Macomb. 


^36  Legends  of  Le  DHroit. 

erly  instincts  were  roused,  and  knowing  the  love 
and  esteem  of  the  Indians  for  her  family,  she  de- 
termined to  make  an  effort  to  save  the  poor  boy 
from  so  terrible  a  fate.  She  was  rowed  to  Belle 
Isle,  made  her  way  to  the  camp  and  asked  the 
amount  of  the  ransom  for  the  child."  The  Indians, 
who  were  making  preparations  for  their  horrible 
feast,  would  not  at  first  listen  to  her.  The  courag- 
eous woman  was  not  to  be  baffled,  and  at  last  partly 
by  lavish  presents  and  j)artly  by  threats  that  the 
black  gown  (priest)  would  bring  some  calamity 
on  them,  she  succeeded  in  her  mission.  The 
little  boy  was  brought  home  and  adopted  by  his 
humane  deliverer,  who  already  had  a  large  family 
(ten  daughters)  of  her  own.  On  the  Commodore's 
return  his  good  wife  described  to  him  her  visit  to 
tlie  Indian  encampment  and  its  gratifying  results. 
"What  did  the  Indians  call  him?"  suddenly  ex- 
claimed the  Commodore.  "I  think  they  called 
him  fair  bairn  or  '  pretty  boy '  "  she  replied.  The 
old  veteran  bowed  his  head,  whilst  memory  was 
busy  weaving  the  broken  links  of  the  prophecy 
on  Epiphany  eve,  many  years  before. 

*See  chap,  oa  Grants.  The  grandchild  of  the  little  boy  still 
lives  and  remembers  his  mother's  account  of  Mrs.  Grant's  trip  to 
■Grosse  Isle. 


XXXI 


KISHKAUKOU. 


A  Legend  of  the  Chippewas. 

IT  WAS  an  evening  in  the  early  spring  of  1815  ; 
the  moon  had  just  risen  and  was  flooding  with 
soft  radiance  tlie  restless  waters  of  Saginaw- 
Bay.  On  the  banks  was  an  open  clearing  fringed 
by  the  dark,  primeval  forest.  Here  and  there  were 
scattered  tents  covered  witli  variegated  mats,  or 
formed  of  the  fragrant  boughs  of  tlie  spruce. 

In  the  center  of  the  encampment  was  a  bright 
fire,  the  flickering  light  from  which  mingling  witli 
that  of  the  moon  caused  weird  expressions  to  play 
over  the  dusky  faces  of  the  Indian  warriors,  who 
sat  round  in  a  semicircle.  They  were  smoking  in 
calm  and  deliberative  silence  and  listening  witli 


238  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

solemn  attention  to  a  speaker  who  was  explaining 
the  object  of  the  council. 

In  such  assemblies  decorum  was  never  broken  ; 
the  etiquette  which  forbade  one  speaker  to  inter- 
rupt the  other  was  strictly  enforced  ;  calls  to  order 
were  unknown. 

At  a  little  distance,  closely  guarded  and  with 
pinioned  arms,  stood  an  Indian  prisoner,  whose 
murder  of  a  young  brave  of  the  tribe  had  caused 
this  council.  The  squaw  and  children  of  the  vic- 
tim were  the  accusers,  and  demanded  the  fulhll- 
ment  of  the  code,  which  was  blood  for  blood,  for 
according  to  Indian  tradition,  the  soul  of  the 
deceased  would  be  excluded  from  the  happy 
hunting  grounds  of  his  ancestors,  until  the  act  of 
atonement  had  been  made.  There  was  something 
impressive  in  the  passive  grandeur  of  the  Indian' s 
stolid  stoicism,  in  his  supreme  indifference  to  the 
deliberations  of  the  council,  as  if  it  were  another's 
fate  it  was  deciding. 

There  seemed  to  be  a  division  of  opinion  ;  dis- 
senting grunts  were  heard,  when  suddenly  a  war- 
rior of  powerful  form  arose,  who  gliding  towards 
the  prisoner,  ended  all  hesitancy  by  burying  his 
tomahawk  in  his  brain.  Then,  brandishing  his 
reeking  weapon  towards  the  jDetrified  group, 
robbed  of  the  force  of  the  fearful  reality  by  the 
swiftness  of  the  blow,  he  left  the  council.     It  was 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  239 

Kislikaiikou,  tlie  celebrated  Chippewa  chief, 
whose  savage  barbarity  had  made  his  name  a 
terror  all  alone:  the  lakes,  and  the  bare  mention 
of  which  ])lan('lied  the  cheeks  of  the  ])ravest. 
Not  a  nuninur  of  disapproval  was  heard  ;  his  will 
ruled  supreme,  "Le  roi  le  veut,"  was  sufficient, 
and  the  warrioi's  drew  their  blankets  over  their 
heads  and  filed  one  after  another  from  the  council. 

Kishkaukou  was  reproved  afterwards  by  an 
Intrepid  white  for  having  broken  the  law  by  his 
peculiar  mode  of  legislation,  and  replied  with 
a  ready  wit  which  equalled  that  of  Moliere's  fag- 
ot boy  :   "I  have  altei'ed  the  law." 

The  brave,  notwithstanding  his  savage  cruelties, 
was  not  impervious  to  Cupid's  darts.  AMiilst  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  River  Huron  (now  the  Clinton) 
he  met  a  charming  half-breed,  Monique,  who  had 
the  misfortune  to  make  him  the  captive  of  hei- 
pretty  eyes.  Kishkaukou' s  manner  of  wooing, 
added  to  the  terrible  stories  told  of  him,  was  not 
calculated  to  find  favor  in  a  timid  maiden's  heart, 
and  it  was  not  strange  that  she  preferred  another 
and  more  gentle  lover,  Louizon,  the  clerk  of  .Judge 
Rielly. 

Kishkaukou  soon  discovered  his  rival,  and  with 
his  startling  idea  of  facilitating  legislation,  dis- 
posed of  Louizon  as  he  had  of  the  Indian  cap- 
tive and  carried  the  maiden  away.     But  he  soon 


240  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

discovered  that  the  law  wa,s  not  to  be  altered  by 
the  capricious  will  of  a  lawless  despot,  and  the 
Chippewa  chief  was  obliged  to  hide.  For  some 
time  he  eluded  the  vigilance  of  that  power  which 
he  had  so  outraged.  Trusting  to  his  cunning  and 
strategy,  and  to  the  terror  of  his  name,  he  was 
rash  enough  to  come  near  Detroit  and  encamp  in 
Col.  Louis  Beauf ait' s  orchard,  now  known  as  the 
"Bagg  Farm."  He  was  followed  by  his  suite, 
consisting  of  several  of  his  squaws  and  Indians, 
for  he  always  travelled  en  grand  seigneur,  and, 
like  Sapor  of  Persia,  mounted  his  horse 
from  the  kneeling  backs  of  his  slaves.  Among 
them  was  Monique,  who,  though  compelled  to 
follow  the  murderer  of  her  lover,  still  cherished 
revenge,  and  only  waited  a  favorable  opportunity 
to  punish  him  for  his  crime.  Her  very  repugnance 
only  served  to  inflame  Kishkaukou'  s  love,  and  he 
zealously  guarded  her.  She  eluded  his  vigilance 
one  day,  came  to  the  fort,  and  revealed  the  where, 
abouts  of  the  celebrated  outlaw.  Kishkaukou  was 
captured  and  lodged  in  jail.  The  event  created  a 
great  sensation.  The  captive  became  the  lion  of  the 
day  and  was  constantly  visited  by  the  curious, 
who  had  heard  the  marvelous  tales  told  of  this 
notorious  chief.  There  are  several  who  still  live, 
who  remember  the  haughty  warrior  with  his 
stately  tread  and  his  ferocious  expression,  his 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  241 

hand  always  resting-  on  liis  tomahawk.  All  were 
struck  by  the  bold  daring*  and  almost  insolent 
recklessness  which  pervaded  his  every  movement. 
He  was  sentenced  to  be  hung,  the  most  degrading 
punishment  possible  to  an  Indian. 

It  was  the  eve  of  his  execution,  November  21, 
1822.  Kishkaukou  sat  alone  in  his  prison  with  the 
thought  of  the  morrow  as  his  comj^anion.  Death 
in  itself  had  no  terror  for  him,  but  the  manner 
revolted  against  the  traditions  of  his  race  ;  how 
was  his  si)irit  to  be  freed  from  its  mortal  tenement 
if  he  were  choked  ?  Thus  brooding  over  his  fallen 
fortunes,  the  images  of  faded  despotism  passed 
before  him,  humiliation  enveloped  him  like  a 
pall,  and  his  proud  spirit  was  broken.  He  would 
become  a  by-word  in  his  tribe,  a  scorn  to  his 
people.  The  door  opened,  disturbing  his  reflec- 
tions ;  two  of  his  squaws  came  in,  followed  by  the 
jailer.  Kishkaukou,  as  if  by  magic,  suddenly 
dropped  his  mournful  and  dejected  manner  and 
conversed  rapidlj'  with  them.  As  they  left  the 
jailer  noticed  one  handing  him  a  small  tin  cup, 
but  thinking  nothing  of  the  occurrence  let  it  pass. 
The  next  morning  the  squaws  again  returned  to 
accompany  their  chief  to  his  execution.  The 
gallows  was  erected  opposite  the  jail,  where  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  now  stands.  The  jailer 
knocked  at  the  door  of  the  chief,  but  received  no 

16 


242  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

answer  :  he  entered  and  found  the  warrior  dead. 
Immediately  the  building  resounded  with  the 
mournful  wailing  of  the  squaws  who  chanted  the 
death  song.  How  he  killed  himself  was  never 
definitely  known,  but  it  was  strongly  surmised 
that  the  cup  given  him  by  the  squaw  contained 
poison."^  Thus  the  Chippewa  chief's  honor  was 
saved  and  he  left  no  legacy  of  disgrace  to  his 
tribe. 

*  The  poison  given  Kishliaukou  by  the  squaw  was  probably  the 
distilled  juice  fronn  the  roots  of  the  wild  citron  plant.  Its  effects 
are  peculiar.  Almost  immediately  after  swallowing  it  the  victim 
has  two  or  three  convulsive  shivers  and  then  dies.  The  fruit  of 
this  plant  is  not  poisonous  ;  it  is  used  for  preserving. 


A  LEGEND  OF  L'ANSE  CREUSE.* 


A  woodpecker  sat  on  an  oaken  stump, 

Pecking  away  with  a  ceaseirss  thump, 

And  now  and  then,  as  he  cocked  his  eye, 

Darted  a  ghmcc  so  keen  and  sly. 

You'd  have  thought,  had  you  seen  him  that  summer  day, 

Old  Greenback  hassometliing  queer  to  say. 

Wlien  that  stump  was  a  stately  tree. 

Sturdy  in  trunk  and  sound  in  knee, 

Forward  a  lit  lie  from  Hk;  wood, 

Close  by  the  edge  of  the  l)ank  it  stood, 

And  acorns  dropped  where  the  ripples  break 

Over  the  brim  of  the  smiling  lake. 

"When  that  tree  was  at  its  best, 

An  emerald  bird,  with  crimson  crest, 

All  through  the  summer,  from  dawn  till  dark, 

IIoi)pcd  and  tapped  on  its  ridgy  bark  ; 

TIk;  limbs  have  dropped,  the  trunk  is  dead, 

But  the  plumes  are  siiining  on  back  and  head. 

And  the  restless  eye  is  clear  and  keen 

As  when  the  old  oak's  leaves  were  green  ; 

But  under  his  throat,  perhaps  you'd  sa}', 

Kubytop  shows  a  spot  of  gray. 

Orchard  and  field  for  many  a  rood 

Cover  the  dust  ol  tlie  buried  wood, 

*I  am  indebted  to  the  couitcsy  of  Hon.  James  V".  Campbell  for 
the  use  of  this  charming  poem,  also  for  much  historical  informa- 
tion and  flattering  interest  and  encouragement. 


244  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

And  low-roofed  houses,  old  and  quaint, 

Browned  by  the  weather  and  bare  of  paint. 

Shelter  a  people— so  they  say, 

Brown  and  (^uaini  and  old  as  they. 

The  urchin  tumbling  in  the  grass, 

The  merry  youth  and  the  blooming  lass, 

The  farmer  who  tills  the  teeming  soil 

When  hunting  and  fisliing  leave  time  for  toil. 

And  the  jolly  old  man  who  sits  and  drones 

Of  the  winter  signs  in  the  wild-goose  bones, 

Seem  living  over  as  in  a  trance. 

The  old,  old  life  of  sunny  France. 

This  restless  age,-^this  age  so  fast — 

There  fights  at  odds  with  the  hoary  past; 

Vainly  it  matches  its  eager  will 

With  those  who  win  by  sitting  still. 

And  hears  an  adage  old  and  worn, — 

Who  goes  for  wool  may  come  back  shorn. 

There  kindly  nature  spreads  her  stores 

In  rich  profusion  out  of  doors; 

Bright  gleam  the  apples,  pears,  and  cherries. 

The  brambles  bend  with  luscious  berries; 

The  bullfrog,  with  his  croaking  harsh. 

And  the  fat  muskrat,  haunt  the  marsh; 

The  wild  duck  floats  among  the  reeds, 

Tne  red  deer  in  the  woodland  feeds. 

The  grouse,  the  partridge,  and  the  quail 

Their  bounteous  larders  never  fail  ; 

And,  yielding  more  ethereal  fare, 

The  daintiest  creatures  swarm  in  air. 

But,  if  your  feet  are  ever  found, 

O  muses,  on  such  level  ground. 

Come  hither  from  Parnassus'  hill, 

Of  melting  whitefish  eat  your  till; 

And  ixQwx  your  lubricated  throats 

Will  glide  such  smooth  and  pleasing  notes 

As  never  yet  the  pipes  did  follow 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  245 

Of  your  precentor — bright  Apollo. 

In  the  fall  weather,  cool  and  haz}'. 

When  the  slow  sun  is  t^ettinj;  lazy, 

And  from  his  cold  bath  in  the  river 

Conies  out  all  red  with  many  a  shiver, 

With  feet  too  chilly  as  they  pass 

To  melt  the  hoar  frost  on  the  /^rass. 

Northward  his  yearly  journey  takes 

The  shining  "white  deer  of  the  lakes." 

Swift  through  the  lymph,  in  countless  herds, 

Thicker  than  thickest  tlighl  of  birds, 

The  living  shapes  of  silver  (la.sh. 

Till  all  the  rustling  waters  tlash. 

As  when  beneath  the  breeze  of  June 

Their  myriad  waves  reflect  the  moon. 

Then  all  the  dwellers  in  the  laud 

Come  trooping  gaily  to  the  sand  ; 

Through  day  and  night  the  populous  shore 

Echoes  the  claidiing  of  the  oar. 

The  meshes  of  the  spreading  .seine 

Are  tried  by  many  a  grievous  strain. 

And  the  gay  crowd,  with  jovial  dm, 

Hail  the  rich  liarvest  gathered  in. 

Then  comes  the  kindly  winter's  reign ; 

Then  mirth  and  pleasure  scour  the  plain. 

The  rapid  pacers  come  and  go 

Like  phantoms  o'Cr  the  beaten  snow. 

And  where  the  summer  shallojis  ride. 

Swiftly  the  painted  carioles  glide. 

Not  Hector  o'er  the  Trojan  field 

By  his  illustrious  coursers  wheeled. 

In  his  mad  circuit  whirling  round. 

Thus  .saw  his  steeds  devour  the  ground ; 

Nor  Pindar,  yielding  loud  acclaims 

To  the  great  victor  of  the  games. 

E'er  saw  upon  the  Olympic  plain 

Such  ponies  of  heroic  strain. 


246  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

And  should  they  meet  at  break  of  day, 
Fresh  baited  with  ambrosial  hay, 
The  sun's  team  prancing  up  the  cope, 
They'd  beat  him  half  way  down  the  slope. 
But  oh,  my  colts,  too  swift  ye  pace, 
You've  borne  me  past  my  stopping  place; 
Bacliward  return  in  slower  mood, 
And  while  you  whinny  o'er  your  food, 
Again  upon  the  bank  I'll  stray, 
And  if  he  has  not  flown  away, 
Hear  what  the  old  bird  has  to  say. 

High  on  the  stump  the  old  woodpecker  sat. 

Twisting  his  neck  this  way  and  that. 

And  soon  as  he  found  an  ear  to  listen. 

He  bristled  his  crest,  and  his  keen  eyes  glisten,. 

On  his  breast  feathers  he  wiped  his  beak, 

Opened  his  mouth  and  began  to  speak. 

Hearken,  stranger,  while  I  tell 

Wondrous  things  that  once  befell 

The  people  of  this  drowsy  land. 

Hereon  this  pulpit  where  I  stand 

Preaching  my  sermon  to  only  one. 

Long  ago  I  sat  in  tiie  sun. 

And  saw  a  sight  that  shook  with  fear 

The  hunter  fierce,  and  the  trembling  deer. 

The  bright  warm  rays  of  an  August  noon 

Hushed  each  sound  but  the  locust's  tune; 

But  a  gentle  wind  blew  from  the  west. 

Dimpling  with  ripples  the  water's  breast. 

And  c  itching  the  swans'  wings  where  they  float, 

Drove  each  one  on  like  a  well-trimmed  boat, — 

A  stately  boat,  with  canvas  white" 

As  a  sheet  of  snow  in  a  starry  night. 

Now  here,  now  there,  the  great  fish  rise 

To  snap  at  ilie  gaudy  dragon-flies; 

The  loon  like  a  porpoise  rolls  and  dives. 


Legends:  of  Le  Di'troit.  247 

Screaming  as  if  for  a  hiiiidrcd  lives, 

And  solemn  bitterns  stand  and  tliiuk, 

Each  on  a  le;?,  by  the  rushy  brink. 

Just  as  tlie  sun  in  his  patli  on  hii^li 

Stayed  liis  course  in  the  mi<hlle  sky, 

Speedini;  along  with  a  foaming  wake 

A  great  ship  sailed  uj^on  the  lake; 

And  the  loon  dove  down,  and  the  white  swans  flew. 

Scared  at  the  sight  of  the  wonder  new; 

For  never  had  vessel  along  this  shore 

Cleft  these  quiet  waves  before. 

No  better  craft  was  ever  seen 

Than  brave  La  Salle's  .stout  brigantine: 

Out  from  the  prow  a  Grifliu  springs. 

With  .'scales  of  bronze  and  fiery  wings, 

And  the  ship  that  earned  so  wide  a  fame 

Bore  on  its  scroll  the  Griflin's  name.  ^ 

When  the  cunning  Robes  of  Black 

Troidjled  the  zealous  Frontenac, 

And  strove  his  venturous  hands  to  keep 

From  reaching  out  to  the  western  deep, 

The  wrath  of  the  sturdy  Norman  rose 

At  the  jealous  arts  of  his  patron's  foes, 

And  the  ship  he  built  for  his  dangerous  quest. 

He  named  from  the  valiant  noble's  crest. 

And  vowed  he  would  make  the  GrilHn  tly 

Over  the  crows  in  the  western  sky. 

A  gilded  eagle  cai-ved  in  wood 

On  the  crown  of  the  (juarter-deck  castle  stood. 

And  from  the  staff  astern  unrolled, 

Floating  aloft  with  its  lilies  of  gold, 

The  great  white  Hag  of  France  is  spread. 

And  the  pennon  dec'king  the  mainmast  head 

Bears  the  chieftain's  arms  on  a  field  of  red. 

Three  black-nebbed  falcons  gaping  wide 

Scowl  through  the  ports  on  either  side. 

And  the  old  sergeant  says  they  speak 


248  ■   Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Each  for  a  common  day  in  the  week, 
While  the  great  bow  gun  with  its  heavy  linell 
Rings  as  loud  as  a  Sunday  bell. 
But  another  standard  is  seen  to-day 
As  the  gallant  cruiser  wins  the  bay. 
For  the  cross  is  waved,  and  the  censer  swings, 
And  the  seamen  kneel  as  the  mass  bell  rings. 
For  to-day  is  the  feast  of  the  Abbess  Claire: 
And  the  corded  priests,  with  chants  and  prayer. 
Sprinkling  the  lake  with  holy  water 
Name  it  after  the  Church's  daughter. 
Then  in  a  trice  the  gunners  catch 
Each  in  his  place  the  blazing  match. 
And  the  flame  leaps  out,  and  the  trembling  shore 
Quakes  at  the  terrible  cannon's  roar. 
And  stout  La  Fleur  with  chuckling  grin 
Said  as  lie  patted  his  culverin — 
In  my  church  there's  never  a  friar 
Sings  like  the  Abbot  who  leads  the  choir ! 
******* 

Out  in  the  lake  the  Griffin  lay 
Wind-bound  at  anchor  many  a  day, 
While  the  ship's  company  explore 
The  novel  wonders  of  the  shore; 
And  as  they  reach  upon  the  way 
The  bend  at  Pointe  a  Guignolet, 
;^efore  them  spreads  a  lovely  bay; 
Its  limpid  waters  softly  glide 
Like  the  slow  creeping  of  the  tide, 
"Upward  and  backward  on  the  beach. 
But  ne'er  beyond  one  margin  reach. 
And  in  its  lonely  beauty  there. 
So  still,  so  smiling,  and  so  fair. 
To  their  charmed  eyes  it  seemed  to  be 
A  sunny  strip  of  Normandy, 
Where  mermaids  in  the  moonlight  play. 
And  happy  children  all  the  day. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  249 

Here, — said  La  Salle, — when  history's  page 

Inscribes  us  of  an  ancient  age, — 

When  populous  cities  rich  and  great 

Sec  sliips  in  llcets  ascend  the  strait, — 

When  this  new  world  siiall  li'ud  liie  van, 

In  the  great  onward  march  of  man, — 

Though  men  of  otiier  blood  may  press 

More  boldly  through  the  wilderness, 

And  though  the  flag  of  France  may  be 

Unknown  upon  this  mimic  sea, 

Yet,  something  whispers  in  \\\y  breast. 

Here  shall  be  quietness  and  rest. 

Though  commerce  through  the  forest  break, 

Or  churn  the  waters  of  the  lake. 

The  inland  road  shall  not  be  nigh, 

The  busy  craft  shall  pass  it  by. 

And  if  our  phantoms  should  be  found 

Exploring  then  this  pleasant  ground, 

It  still  shall  seem  familiar  earth, 

As  the  old  region  of  our  birth. 

Beside  the  shore  a  cross  they  plant, 

The  reverend  priests  an  anthem  chant, 

And  the  stern  soldier,  as  he  went, 

To' seek  the  shelter  of  his  tent. 

Cast  backward  many  a  yearning  look. 

Made  homesick  by  that  fairy  nook. 

The  ship  sailed  on,  but  the  friendly  shore 

Saw  it  returning  nevermore. 

And  many  a  da}'  had  come  and  fled 

And  many  a  fall  the  leaves  had  shed, 

Before  tlie  early  morning  dews 

On  the  white  clover  b}'  fj'Ansc  Creu.se 

Were  dashed  b}'  footstep  from  their  cup, 

Ere  the  dry  sun  had  drunk  tliem  up. 

But  when  I  grew  to  my  chagrin 

A  little  baggy  about  the  chin, 

And  could  not  find  suflicient  causo 


250  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

For  a  wrinkle  or  two  around  my  claws, 
The  pleasing  scene  I  daily  viewed 
No  longer  was  a  solitude. 
Neat  farms  and  gardens  lined  the  strait 
From  Erie  up  to  Huron's  gate, 
While  on  the  narrow  strips  of  land 
The  cottage  homes  so  closely  stand. 
Their  numbers  stretching  up  and  down, 
Appear  like  one  continuous  town. 
In  front  of  each  upon  the  bank, 
A  narrow  wiiarf  of  single  plank 
Stretched  nut  to  where  a  steady  hand 
Might  fill  a  bucket  to  the  brim. 
Sinking  it  down  below  the  rim, 
Yet  never  touch  the  bottom  sand; 
While  to  this  simple  jetty  tied 
Canoes  float  safely  by  its  side. 

Whenever  Monday's  morning  ray 

Brings  to  the  world  its  washing  day. 

The  busy  housewives  and  iheir  daughters 

There  with  their  labors  vex  the  waters. 

The  garments  in  their  fingers  gathered, 

With  vigorous  rubbing  drenched  and  lathered. 

And  paddled  with  a  cunning  knack. 

Resound  with  many  a  rousing  whack  ; 

While  the  fair  laundresses  at  work 

In  no  Carthusian  silence  lurk, 

But  skilled  alike  to  wash  and  speak. 

Gossip  enough  for  all  the  week. 

In  the  small  hamlet  of  L'Anse  Creuse, 

One  Monday,  buzzed  the  slirring  news 

That  the  old  Seigneur  of  Beauvais 

Was  busy  all  the  previous  day, 

Devising  how  his  daughter  fair — 

The  arch  and  graceful  Lady  Claire— 

Might  find  ere  long  an  honest  mate, 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  251 

Of  gontlc  blood  and  good  estate, 

AVho  by  some  valiant  feat  at  arms 

Might  prove  him  worthy  of  lier  charms. 

lie  was  a  man  whose  antique  blood, 

Traced  backward  to  tlic  very  Hood, 

Had  with  such  notions  filled  his  brain 

As  once  disturbed  the  knigh   of  Spain. 

He  passed  the  vigor  of  his  years 

Roving  among  his  gallant  peers, 

Exploring  widely  to  ailvance 

The  glory  of  his  native  France, 

And  oft  a  pleasant  hour  had  spent 

With  gallant  Tonty  in  his  tent. 

Long  years  ago  they  made  their  way, 

And  camped  beside  this  smiling  bay, 

To  wait  the  gathering  of  the  force 

Destined  to  guard  the  northern  course. 

Then  met  the  boldest  hearts  arrayed 

That  ever  pierced  the  forest  shade. 

There  met  the  venturous  Beauvais, 

La  Salle's  stout  warden  La  Foret, 

And  the  sagacious  Durantaye. 

Whose  flag  had  waved  o'er  many  a  post 

On  the  remotest  northern  coast; 

Willi  his  old  comrade  true  and  tried, 

Renowned  I)u  Luth,  who  far  and  wide. 

Honest  in  heart,  and  strong  in  hand 

Swayed  the  fierce  tribes  through  all  the  land. 

There,  as  they  feasted  at  their  ease 

Beneath  the  stately  forest  trees. 

With  many  a  tale  of  savage  fray 

They  passed  the  pleasant  hours  away. 

And  when  the  hallowed  spot  he  knew. 

Once  honored  by  the  Griffin's  crew. 

Said  bold  Beauvais,  this  cross  so  fall 

Shall  stand  one  day  beside  my  hall. 

When  age  from  labor  shall  release, 


252  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

.    To  let  me  dwell  at  liome  in  peace. 
So,  when  he  sellled  to  retire, 
And  light  anew  his  household  fire, 
He  was  the  first  who  found  his  way 
To  dwell  beside  the  cross  and  bay. 
He  mingled  reading  and  the  care 
Of  watching  o'er  his  darling  Claire, 
And  soothed  his  fatherly  alarms 
With  chronicles  of  deeds  of  arms. 
As  up  she  grew  to  womanhood, 
Merry  and  bright,  as  well  as  good, 
He  dreamed  of  noble  cavaliers 
Bearing  her  colors  on  their  spears, 
And  jousting  on  tjie  meadows  green 
To  win  the  smile  of  Beauty's  queen ; 
And  a  great  tournament  he  planned, 
The  prize  to  be  his  daughter's  hand. 
The  damsel  having  mother  wit. 
And  some  small  will  for  using  it. 
Had  been  enabled  to  discover 
She  need  not  languish  for  a  lover. 
And  though  she  knew  that  young  Beauclerc 
Was  prompt  enough  to  do  or  dare, 
She  ■Mtas  not  an.xious  for  her  sake. 
That  he  another's  head  should  break. 
Nor  would  it  suit  her  views  at  all 
Should  others  profit  by  his  fall. 
So,  with  a  smile  upon  her  face. 
And  manj'  a  blushing  maiden  grace, 
She  met  her  honest  father's  question 
With  a  more  practical  suggestion. 
The  Greek'*,  in  that  heroic  time 
Which  all  the  poets  call  sublime. 
Instead  of  carving  up  a  friend, 
In  public  games  did  oft  contend. 
And  deemed  a  vegetable  crown 
And  name  by  Pindar  handed  down,  1 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  25Ji 

More  likely  to  adorn  the  State 

Than  if  ihey  earned  a  broken  pate. 

When  the  hard  winter's  frost  shall  make 

A  slipp  ry  ice-field  of  the  lake, 

Xo  ancient  circus  could  compete 

AVith  such  a  course  for  Mying  feet; 

And  if  no  youth  my  hand  may  claim 

Hut  him  who  pleads  a  victor's  name, 

Then  let  his  honors  be  my  price 

Who  wins  a  race  up(m  the  ice. 

The  sire  approved,  and  gave  command 

To  publish  it  through  all  the  land. 

That  on  the  coming  Christmas  day 

A  horse  race  o"er  the  frozen  bay 

Should  by  its  fair  results  decide 

What  lucky  hand  should  claim  the  bride 

Then  to  the  shore  in  state  he  went, 

Where  the  good  dames,  on  work  intent, 

Their  weekly  store  of  clothes  did  scrub 

In  the  great  common  washing  tub; 

And  sought  their  willing  aid  to  bear 

His  festive  message  through  the  air. 

Swiftly  it  traveled  toward  the  south. 

Leaping  from  ready  mouth  to  moulh; 

And  while  its  echoes  .still  did  plaj' 

In  broken  murmurs  round  the  bay. 

Past  Windmill  Point,  on  pinions  quick, 

It  reached  the  mouth  of  Tremble's  creek^ 

And  like  a  bullet  from  a  gun 

Crossed  the  ravine  at  Bloody  Run; 

Thence  like  the  west  wind  on  the  main, 

Shook  the  great  flag  at  Pontchartrain; 

Then  like  a  brightly  falling  star 

Gleamed  on  the  household  of  Navarre, 

And  shot  along  its  flashing  way 

Around  the  bend  of  Godfroy's  bay. 

Startling  the  ghost  that  lingered  still  , 


254  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Sighing  in  Gobeye's  haunted  mill. 
The  violet  banks  of  Bellefontaine 
And  the  cool  shades  of  Lover's  Lane 
Heard  a  low  murmur,  as  of  bees 
Humming  among  the  linden  trees. 
■     As  up  the  Rouge  the  story  sped, 

Old  Va-de-boii-Coour,  as  he  shook  his  head, 

Marveled  that  any  other  place 

Was  chosen  for  a  Christmas  race ; 

But  cracking  all  his  knuckles  bony, 

Forthwith  began  to  train  his  pony. 

Beyond  this  region  of  the  horse 

The  message  reached  the  broad  Ecorce, 

Rousing  the  herdsmen  as  they  roam 

O'er  the  wide  acres  of  St.  Cosme. 

Across  the  channel  to  Grosse  Isle, 

Shouted  with  sympathetic  zeal, 

And  thence  beyond,  the  tidings  go 

To  the  rich  island  dark  with  shade 

By  the  gigantic  lindens  made. 

Within  whose  vpoods  the  Wyandot 

Had  built  his  town  in  a  charming  spot, 

Guarding  Lake  Erie's  open  door; 

In  the  rough  sailor  pilot's  lore 

'Tis  known  as  the  island  of  Bobalo. 

In  the  short  passage  of  an  hour, 

Sped  by  this  tireless  motive  power. 

The  news  had  entered  at  the  gate 

Of  every  household  on  the  strait. 

And  the  gay  bachelors  all  prepare 

To  struggle  boldly  for  the  fair; 

While  pouting  maidens — half  offended — 

Wish  that  the  day  had  come  and  ended. 

That  they  who  fail  to  win  the  prize 

Might  find  a  better  use  of  eyes; 

Yet  none  the  less  they  toil  and  fluster 

To  look  their  prettiest  at  the  muster. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  255 

And,  fiooth  to  say,  the  gallant  wrong 
Woukl  find  his  journey  very  long. 
Who  travi-led  Mil  he  found  the  graces 
More  prodigal  of  charniing  faces. 
The  sununcr  into  autumn  glides, 
The  mellow  autunui  long  abides, 
Till  dark  December  claimed  a  part  in 
The  unruilled  season  of  St.  Martin; 
And  many  a  lovely  bosom  lluttered, 
And  many  a  savage  youngster  muttered, 
As  the  sun  neared  his  last  decline, 
"While  winter  yet  had  made  no  sign. 
But  when  the  dreary  solstice  came. 
The  morning  sky  was  all  atiame, 
And  from  the  i)olar  deserts  vast 
The  wind  came  howling  fierce  and  fa^t 
All  day  the  clouds  their  snowtlakes  shed, 
The  sighing  waves  were  dark  as  lead, 
Sounding  upon  the  gloomy  shore 
Like  the  dull  plash  of  melted  ore. 
But  in  the  night  no  vapor  mars 
The  lustre  of  the  burning  stars, 
High  in  the  firmament  the  moon 
Shines  dazzling  as  the  sun  at  noon. 
And  the  cold  beams  the  waves  congeal 
Like  a  great  lloor  of  glimmering  steel. 
All  tlirough  the  night  from  shore  to  shore 
The  imprisoned  waters  moan  Jind  roar. 
But  vain  arc  all  their  throes  lo  break 
The  dungeon  wall-^  tiiat  liold  the  lake. 
On  Christmas  eve  the  drowsy  heads 
Went  early  to  their  downy  beds, 
That  all  from  sweet  rejiose  might  borrow 
IVIore  blooming  roses  for  the  morrow; 
While  even  the  watchful  chanticleer 
Forgot  to  blow  his  clarion  clear. 
And  sitting  siuigly  on  his  perch. 


256  Legends  of  Le  Detroit , 

"Was  silent  as  the  village  church. 

But  when  the  rays  of  morning  creep 

Down  the  gray  spire  of  St.  Philippe, 

And  cast  its  shadows  o'er  tlie  way 

Just  at  the  foot  of  Grand  Marais, 

The  wooden  cock  that  at  its  peak 

Stood  opening  wide  its  gilded  beak, 

Thought  surely  there  was  something  wrong; 

To  make  his  brotliers  mute  so  long. 

Uprising  on  his  sinewy  toes, 

Far  out  his  gorgt-ous  breast  he  throws, 

While  of  the  bracing  air  he  quaffed 

A  deep  exhilarating  draught; 

Then  from  the  bot'ora  of  his  throat 

He  crowed  so  fierce  a  trumpet  note 

That  all  the  country  stared  aghast, 

Astounded  by  that  sudden  blast: 

And  every  rooster,  roused  to  feel 

A  rival  worthy  of  his  steel, 

Met  the  fierce  chapel  guardian's  crow 

With  a  defiant  coquerico  ! 

Up  from  their  beds  the  slumbering  people 

Sprang  at  that  summons  from  the  steeple. 

And  every  bachelor  and  maid 

In  rustic  garments  neat  arrayed. 

With  sparkling  eyes  and  glowing  face. 

Prepared  to  figure  at  the  race. 

Too  far  from  Fashion's  halls  to  get 

The  work  of  Ma'm'selle  Tond-Minette,. 

The  blooming  damsels  managed  still 

To  show  the  power  of  taste  and  skill. 

And  when  they  all  had  met  together,. 

Rose  tinted  by  the  bracing  weather. 

They  made  philosopher  and  dunce 

Fall  swift  in  love  with  all  at  once. 

The  mass  was  over,  and  the  sleighs 
Came  sliding  o'er  the  crystal  ways. 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  25T 

As  shining  birds  from  flower  to  flower 
Dart  swifily  in  the  summer  hour. 
The  swan-neclied  carioies  mai\e  the  scene 
Lively  with  scarlet,  gold,  and  green. 
The  briglit-eyed  pacers,  roan  and  bay, 
Caper  like  liltle  boys  at  play, 
And  toss  their  heads,  as  if  they  knew 
As  nuich  as  human  horses  do. 
The  lady  Claire,  with  courteous  mien 
Beams  like  a  radiant  fairy  queen; 
But  while  she  swiftly  moved  lier  eyes 
O'er  the  contestants  for  the  prize. 
She  turned  a  moment  pale  as  snow, 
Then  blushed  with  such  a  ruddy  glow 
That  all  the  maidens  then  and  tliere 
Owned  there  was  none  so  good  and  fair, 
And  wislied  success  to  lovely  Claire. 
For  well,  with  ready  wit,  they  guessed 
She  had  a  purpose  in  her  breast 
That  none  from  her  devoted  swain 
The  triumph  of  the  course  should  gain; 
And  each  with  .sympathizing  face 
Hoped  that  her  own  true  lover's  place 
Would  be  the  second  in  the  race. 
Then  forth  advancing  in  his  sleigh 
The  stately  form  of  old  Beauvais 
Apjieared  among  the  shouting  throng, 
And  with  a  voice  like  Stentor's  strong. 
Taught  by  his  daughter's  shrewd  device, 
Who  knew  the  mysteries  of  the  ice, 
Announced  the  scrupulous  rules  to  guide 
The  contest  for  the  peerless  bride. 
In  a  straight  run  the  course  shall  reach 
From  where  the  trending  of  ihe  beach 
Rounds  into  Pointe  a  Guignolet, 
To  Huron  Point  across  the  bay; 
Thence  turning  at  the  blasted  elm, 
17 


258  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

The  limit  of  Maconce's  realm, 
Back  to  the  starting  point  again 
Across  the  white  ancl,slipper3^  plain. 
And  he  whose  steed's  returning  feet 
Shall  first  upon  the  margin  beat, 
Shall  take  rhy  mansion  and  my  land, 
And,  if  she  will,  my  daughtei-'s  hand. 

The  graybeards  shrugged  their  shoulders  wide 

At  such  a  long  and  freezing  ride; 

Eight  miles  across  the  raven's  flight 

Must  reach  before  his  feet  can  light; 

And  when  upon  the  glassy  floor 

That  space  must  twice  be  travelled  o'er. 

The  horse  that  wins  without  a  founder 

Must  be  as  hard  as  an  eighteen  pounder. 

But  the  swift  pacers  cocked  their  ears, 

In  scorn  at  such  unworthy  fears; 

And,  ranged  in  order  on  the  shore, 

The  friendly  rivals  reached  a  score, 

Waiting  the  signal  to  begin 

The  race  that  only  one  could  win. 

Each  in  such  sliding  carriage  placed 

As  suits  his  money  or  his  taste. 

Jumper  and  cutter,  train  and  pung 

Behind  the  nimble  pony  swung, 

While  the  trim  cariole's  graceful  wedge, 

With  its  shafts  hung  low  at  the  runner's  edge, 

Was  decked  in  the  spoils  of  the  shaggy  bear. 

Beady  to  cleave  the  frozen  air. 

But  what  has  troubled  the  Sieur  Beauvais, 

And  what  the  cause  of  the  long  delay  ? 

The  course  is  long  and  the  day  is  brief, 

The  night  comes  on  like  a  stealthy  thief, 

And  woe  to  the  wight  who  rides  astray. 

Far  from  the  land  on  the  wintry  bay. 

Alas,  the  old  man's  eyes  are  dim; 

For  under  his  features  hard  and  griui 


Legends  of  Le  Detroit.  259 

His  soul  is  soft  and  liis  spirit  mild, 

And  his  heart  is  aching  for  liis  child; 

He  knew  her  love  for  young  Beauclerc, 

And  marveled  why  he  was  not  there. 

He  was  a  youth  of  manly  heart, 

Lithe  as  a  panther,  straight  as  a  dart. 

And  loved  to  share  the  hunter's  toil 

More  than  he  cared  for  his  costly  spoil. 

Changing  their  names  with  one  another, 

The  Swan  creek  chieftain  called  him  brother, 

And  a  sturdy  man  he  saw  who  met 

The  tawny  or  white  Eshtonaquet. 

The  chief  just  come  from  a  prairie  trail, 

Brought  home  a  horse  like  a  spotted  quail, 

With  long  slim  neck  and  Arab  head, 

But  a  back  that  sloped  like  the  roof  of  a  shed, 

And  legs  that  raised  his  ample  chest 

Up  to  the  height  of  an  Indian's  breast. 

And  he  gave  a  hint  to  young  Beauclerc 

That  none  with  this  strange  beast  might  cope. 

Though  he  should  train  an  antelope. 

To  run  the  race  for  his  lad}^  fair. 

He  framed  a  jumper  of  ironwood  tough. 

Limber  and  stout,  but  rude  and  rough. 

His  harness  strong  and  his  reins  to  guide 

He  made  from  thongs  of  bison  hide. 

And  there  he  sat  with  the  jeering  racers, 

Proud  of  themselves  and  their  well  groomed  pacers. 

Wrapped  in  the  shaggy  robes  of  skin 

That  his  red  brother  clad  him  in; 

And  many  a  f-colf  and  scornful  laugh 

Greeted  the  sleigh  with  the  brown  giraffe. 

A  whisper  from  the  Lady  Claire, 

And  the  old  man  with  dubious  air 

Shouted  the  signal.     Off  they  tly, 

Skimming  like  swallows  across  the  sk)', 

But  far  behind,  with  drooping  tail, 


260  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

And  swingin<T  his  legs  like  a  clumsy  flail, 

The  prairie  beast  goes  steadily  on 

As  if  there  were  never  a  race  to  be  won, 

While  the  neat  ponies  their  sinews  strain 

To  reach  the  verge  of  the  frozen  plain. 

But  when  they  turn  at  the  blasted  tree, 

Panting  and  foaming,  lo,  they  see, 

Jogging  along  as  fresh  and  stout 

As  when  from  the  f-hore  they  first  set  out, 

The  clumsy  brute  whose  movements  seem 

Liiie  the  measured  sweep  of  a  walking-beam. 

And  as  the  home-bound  rivals  ride 

Just  in  the  midst  of  the  basin  wide. 

The  shambling  nag  with  his  terrible  stride 

Passes  them  all,  and  in'his  eyes 

Gleams  of  a  conscious  triumph  rise. 

"Wider  and  wider  he  spreads  apart 

His  hoofs,  and  shoots  like  a  fiery  dart, 

Till  his  nimble  limbs  so  swiftly  fleet. 

He  seems  like  a  body  without  any  feet 

Shot  like  a  ball  through  the  midst  of  the  air, 

And  he  reaches  the  goal  when  there's  nobody  there;. 

For  they  thought  it  was  safe  to  sit  long  by  the  fire, 

Not  dreaming  this  monster,  with  sinews  of  wire, 

And  never  within  a  decent  stall, 

Would  thus  so  horribly  beat  them  all. 

But  the  boys  when  they  saw  the  meek  young  men. 

Moodily  driving  back  again. 

Shouted  a  mocking  mange  I'avoine! 

And  the  merry  maids  with  smiling  lip 

Welcomed  them  back  from  their  leisure  trip. 

But  they  lo.iked  more  blithe  when  the  jolly  priest 

A.sked  them  in  to  the  wedding  feast; 

And  never  since  that  Cliristmas  day 

Have  tlie  good  dwellers  by  the  bay 

Danced  at  the  bridal  of  lady  fair. 

Sweeter  and  brighter  than  lovely  Claire. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FRENCH  FAMILIES. 


It  is  not  the  intention  of  tiie  writer  to  give  a  detailed  iiistory  of 
the  French  families,  wiio  first  came  to  settle  at  Detroit,  but  to 
furnish  such  chronological  data,  as  will  be  of  value  and  interest 
to  the  descendants  of  this  hardy  Norman  stock. 

In  order  to  simplify  the  work,  as  a  rule,  the  names  have  been 
selected  of  those,  who  are  still  perpetuated  in  the  farms,  streets 
or  counties.  In  many  cases  their  ancestral  estates  have  passed 
into  strangers'  hands,  whilst  others  have  sought  new  homes  and 
ties  on  the  Canadian  soil.  Of  the  latter  class  are  the  families 
of  Baby,  Piliet,  Goyeau,  Parent,  Montreuil,  Marentette,  Janis, 
Drouillard,  ]\Iaisonville,  La  Butte,  Jeanette  and  Berthelet,  a  name 
well  and  favorably  known  in  Detroit,  and  still  most  prominent  in 
Canada. 

At  the  time  of  the  English  Conquest  in  1760,  many  English 
and  Scotch  came  to  cast  their  destinies  with  the  fortunes  of  the 
struggling  French  colon}^  They  were  followed  later  by  a  number 
of  Americans,  who  lent  their  talents,  industry  and  enterprise 
towards  rendering  Detroit,  the  most  beautiful  and  prosperous  city 
of  the  West.  A  history  of  the  French  families  would  be  incom- 
plete without  even  a  brief  mention  of  these  noble  pioneers:  Cass, 
Sibley,  "NVordbridge.  Forsythe,  Lamed,  Brush,  Visgar,  Abi)Ott, 
Audrain,  Connor,  E'lerts,  Knagg'^,  Leib,  Hunt,  Macomb.  Wil- 
liams, McDougall,  Sterling,  McNiff,  Meldrura,  Parke,  Schwartz, 
Jones,  Witherell,  Palmer,  Whiting,  Roberts,  etc..  etc. 


264  Legends  of  Le  Detroit 

STE.   ANNE'S  CHURCH. 


A  history  of  Ste.  Anne's  Clmrcli  would  be  a  history  of  the  early 
Colon}'.  To  more  graphic  pens  than  mine  I  leave  this  task.  Like 
a  tender  mother  she  gathered  her  children  around  her,  she  smiled 
in  their  joys  and  mourned  in  their  sorrows,  she  placed  the  signet 
of  heaven  on  the  brow  of  the  new  born,  she  blessed  the  nuptial 
pair,  and  laid  to  sleep  within  her  consecrated  bosom  the  weary 
pilgrim.  She  kept  a  faitliful  record  of  the  names  and  places  of 
birth  of  all  her  children.  Through  fire,  wars  and  Indian  devas- 
tations she  was  true  to  her  sacred  charge,  and  to  day  many  a  claim 
to  disputed  property  has  been  justly  settled  by  her  undeniable 
evidence.  To  the  student  of  genealogy  these  old  records  with 
their  musty  yellow  paper,  blurred  writing  and  odor  of  antiquity 
are  most  eloquent  epitomes  of  the  brevity  of  human  life.  Each 
generation  like  a  wave  of  the  sea  rises,  swells,  then  Imrsts  on  the 
shores  of  Eternity.  One  realizes  the  deep,  profoimd  truth  hidden 
in  the  homely  child  rhyme  of  Solomon  Grundy.  The  lullaby  of 
the  nursery  only  hides  the  De  Profundis  of  the  church. 

The  first  Ste.  Anne's  Church  was  built  within  the  portals  of  old 
Fort  Pontchartrain,  and  was  called  Ste.  Anne's,  from  the  fact 
that  the  first  mass  celebrated  therein  was  on  the  feast  of  that 
sainte  (who  was  the  mother  of  the  Blessed  Virgin),  .July  2(),  1701. 
This  church  built  by  Cadillac  was  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  but 
rebuilt  shortly  afterwards  in  1728.  It  occuuied  the  ground  on 
the  north  side  of  Ste.  Anne's  street  (now  .Jeflferson  avenue),  and 
stood  opposite  Joseph  Campeau's  homestead  between  Griswold 
and  Shelby  streets.  It  was  then  customary  to  bury  within  its 
walls  the  trustees.  Robert  Navarre,  Sr.,  Royal  Notary  and  Sub- 
Intendant,  Pierre  Chesne,  Pierre  Godfroy  deRoquetaliade,  Chev- 
alier Trotier  des  Ruisseau.K  and  Dr.  Chapoton  were  buried  there- 
in. The  trustees  also  occupied  a  special  pew,  generally  the  first 
one  on  the  right  side  of  the  aisle,  near  the  altar.  In  1805  the  fire 
swept  away  the  church.  On  the  4th  of  October,  ISOti,  the  Gov- 
ernor and  Judges  granted  the  petition  presented  by  Father  Richard 
for  a  deed  to  the  ground  to  erect  a  new  church.  The  following 
was  the  resolution  passed: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Roman  Cathohc  Church  be  built  in  the 
centre  of  the  little  military  square  on  section  No.  1  on  the  ground 
adjacent  to  the  burying  ground,  the  said  lot  fronting  on  East  and 
West  avenue  (Michigan  avenue)  200  feet  wide  and  running  back 
200  feet  deep,  and  bounded  on  the  three  sides  by  three  other 
streets."  For  a  few  years  sub.sequent  to  the  fire,  the  people  at- 
tended service  in  the  Meldrum  .storehouse  near  the  river,  between 
Randolph  and  Rates  streets,  from  thence  Father  Richard  removed 
to  Springwells,  where  mass  was  said  in  a  house  on  the  Laselle 
farm.  The  records  of  Ste.  Anne's  have  been  faithfully  kept  from 
1701,  when  the  first  baptism  administered  in  the  colony  was  to 


Kdi'lii  I'rrnch  Fainilics. 


265 


Tlu'riVe,  danghtor  of  La  Moihe  Cadillac.  To  sliow  the  care 
manifested  in  i)reparing  these  early  records,  below  an  instance  is 
given  (translation). 

"  The  iiiidersiirned  RecollOt  Priest  exercisin.ii  vicarial  funclions 
at  Fort  Pontchartrain  of  Detroit,  declares  tliat  the  i)resent  book 
contains  \',\  sheets  of  ])a]M'r,  being  tiie  veritable  lirsl  book  or  regis- 
try of  b:ii)liMns  and  inleiincnts  at  Fori  Poiilcliartrain,  and  that  it 
has  been  prepared  and  arranged  by  the  venerable  IVre  I)oiniiii(Hie 
•de  la  ^larehe.  formerly  Piofessor  of  Theology  and  Peeollet  Priest, 
my  ])redeeessor  at  this  same  nussion  of  Fort  Pontchartrain,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  to  this  registry  all  necessary  force  and 
value,  1  have  requested  Monsieur  Antoine  de  la  Mothe  Cadillac, 
mnunandant  for  the  king  at  said  fort,  to  honor  it  witli  his  signa- 
ture. 

Done  at  said  place  the  IHth  of  January,  1709. 

FuKijK  CiiKurmN  Deniau. 

Pecollet  Miss.  Priest." 

'We,  Antoine  de  la  ]Mothe  Cadillac,  Lord  of  the  places  of 
Donas^uet  and  Mont  Desert,  Commander  for  the  king  at  p-ort 
Ponlekartrain,  certify  that  the  ])resent  book  contains  i;5  sheets, 
being  t'le  faithful  registry  of  baptisms  and  interments.  In  faith 
•of  whi(3i  we  have  signed. 

Done  :l  said  fort,  Januarv  16th.  1709. 

(Signed)  "  ^La  MoTiiE  Cadill.vc." 

The  sigmtures  attached  to  the  dilTerent  entries  show  that  the 
officers  and  many  of  the  colonists  were  familiar  with  the  pen. 
The  spirit  o'  caste  is  apparent  in  the  designation  of  titles  and 
various  cmpUvments.  A  glance  at  the  signatures  at  the  end  of  a 
marriage  entry  at  once  gives  a  clue  to  the  social  position  of  the 
.contracting  paraos.  The  otlicers,  both  civil  and  military,  belonged 
to  the  old  reginuand  many  of  them  bore  names  which  stood  high 
among  the  noble<se  of  France.  Louis  XIV,  anxious  to  promote 
the  interests  of  hi.'.colonies,  olfered  every  inducement  in  lheshai)e 
of  grants  of  land  \\\k\  bounties,  to  emigrants  from  France.  Hy 
younger  sons  of  Ih?  nobili'iy,  by  tho.se  whose  fortunes  had  been 
ruined,  and  b^-  the  idventuious,  tliese  opportunities  were  readily 
seized.  AVhilst  thc'cudal  system  was  (lying  out  in  France,  the 
king  revived  it  in  tlh  colony  of  Canada,  by  granting  to  his  offi- 
cers, distinguished  sfjdicrs  and  prominent  colonists,  socallcd 
seigneuries  (a  domain  of  half  a  league  front  and  two  or  three 
leagues  deep),  mostly  ^tuated  on  tin;  St.  Lawrence  and  its  irib- 
ularies.  Outside  the  giiinis  to  Cadillac,  there  were  no  seigneuries 
granted  on  the  Detroit  or  along  the  lakes,  save  the  one  to  the 
Clievalier  Le  Gardeur  dUiepentigny,  at  Saulle  Ste.  Marie,  but  in 


266  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

place,  wore  tho  grants  of  land,  at.  present  called  farms,  and  which 
were  originally  only  given  to  prominent  colonists.  Tiie  younger 
scions  of  Frencli  noblesse  could  enter  into  trade  in  these  colonies 
without  derogating  from  their  rank,  and  at  once  opened  an  im- 
mense trade  in  beaver,  minlc  and  other  furs  with  tlie  Indians.  A 
merchant  then,  was  a  man  requiring  considerable  wealth,  for 
every  article  of  use  was  brought  from  Quebec  or  Montreal  by 
canoe,  which  was  dangerous  and  perilous  with  tedious  portages. 
The  officers  who  came  here  were  generally  accompanied  by  their 
wives  and  some  of  their  connections.  Sometimes  the  love  of 
admiration  was  greater  than  that  of  conjugal  affection,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  beautiful  Angelique  des  Meloises,  the  wife  of  Hugues 
Pean,  who  found  Quebec  and  the  society  of  Intendant  Bigot,  too- 
interesting  to  accoinpaii}^  her  husband  to  the  uncivilized  wilds  of 
his  new  post.  The  Campeaus,  Cuillerier  de  Beaubien,  Trotier 
des  Ruisseaux.  Chesne  St.  Onge,  Godefroy  de  Koquetaliade,  and 
Godefroy  de  Marboeuf,  Barthe,  Cicotte  and  Gode  de  Mareutetle 
accompanied  some  of  the  officers  to  whom  they  were  related. 
De  Mei'sac,  Chapoton,  Reaume,  Cliabert  de  Joncaire  and  Houet 
de  Moras  came  as  officers.  The  3Iorand  Grimard,  Des  Ccmptes 
Labadie.  De  Quindre  came  between  1745  and  the  Englif^h  con- 
quest. The  Macombs,  Anthons,  McDougalls,  Riopelles  and  many 
others  came  in  with  the  English  conquest  of  Canada,  in  '760. 

The  titles  were  dropped  from  the  record  entries,  alsr  the  gen- 
eral designation  of  employment,  place  of  residence  aid  profes- 
sion, in  1760.  It  was  with  the  early  French  customary  to  confer 
soubriquets  or  nicknames.  These  were  either  derivtd  from  the 
province,  city  or  village  from  wlience  the  individua'  came,  viz. : 
Casse  dit  St.  Aubin  Cauchois  (de  Caux),  Provensal  (le  Provence); 
from  some  agricultural  .source,  such  as:  L'oignni  (onion).  La 
Tulippe  (tulip).  La  Prune  (plum);  from  some  raarPed  peculiaritj'-:  , 
Grosse  Jambe  (big  leg),  Momirelle  (mummy);  )thers  from  the 
estates,  viz. :  De  Beaubien,  de  Bendy;  De  Quind-e,  de  Marentette. 
A  child  born  on  a  festival  was  pretty  sure  of  perpetuating  the 
event  in  his  name,  viz.:  Noyl.  Pasques,  Tous*aint,  Assumption. 
This  custom  prevails  to  some  extent  to  the  vresent  day,  among 
their  descendants. 

P.  S. — Cakignan  Regiment.  In  1664  Louis  XIV  sent  to- 
Canada,  the  famous  Regiment  de  Garignai  commanded  by  Col. 
de  Sallieres.  It  was  a  famous  baly  of  foops,  and  had  distin- 
guished itself  fighting  against  the  Turk;.  It  was  consolidated 
with  that  of  Saliier  nnmed  in  honor  of  tie  Colonel  ot  the  Carig- 
nan.  They  were  officered  by  fifty  or  ixty  French  gentlemen 
belonging  to  the  noblesse.  Many  of  th;m  obtained  concessions 
of  land,  settled  upon  them  and  becamethe  ancestors  of  many  of 
the  French  families  of  to-day. 


KarJy  French  Families.  267 

Some  of  those  families  have  thus,  in  th(#tonrse  of  two  liundrcd 
years  lost  their  original  names  and  are  either  known  hy  their  title 
or  soul)ri(iuet  or  their  names  have  been  changed  into  the  English 
equivalents. 

The  older  ollieers  who  came  with  La  Mothe  or  were  stationed 
at  the  yio<  at  dilTerent  times,  are  usually  designated  in  the  records 
as  having  belonged  to  the  Carignan  Sallieres  regiment  or  to  a  "  De- 
tachment of  Marines."  They  weie  not  marines  in  the  pri'sent 
acceptance  of  the  term,  but  troops  sent  out  from  France  under 
the  aus]iices  of  the  naval  department,  and  responsible  to  tiiat 
authority  alone. 

.Many  think  that  the  French  Canadian  spoke  onl}' a  ;)<^<^y/.>*  for- 
getting that  at  the  period  when  these  pioneers  came,  Frenc-h  litera- 
ture was  in  its  zenith.  Being  a  conservative  people,  they  preserved 
not  oidy  tiie  manners  and  customs  of  the  mother  country,  but  the 
purity  of  its  language,  a  fact  illustrated  by  a  retpiest  made  recently 
by  certain  Freiuth  writers  for  the  situple  old  Noiiiian  songs,  which 
the  French  Canadian  alone  retained  in  all  their  original  purity. 
Many  words  which  are  considered  /)at<m,  may  be  found  in  the 
works  of  Kacinc,  (Jorneille,  or  I?oileau.  The  language  of  France 
like  the  human  body  is  con.stanlly  undergoing  a  change.  A 
Parisian  four  years  absent  from  Paris  is  liable  to  be  detecitetl  when 
he  writes.  One  is  reminded  of  the  fish  woman  of  Athens  who 
knew  by  a  new  customer's  accent  that  he  belonged  to  the  suburbs 
of  the  city. 

Almost  all  the  old  families  possessed  slaves  as  servants;  they 
were  called  "  Panis,"  (pronovmced  Pawnees).  Very  few  were  of 
African  origin,  mostly  Indians,  belonging  to  remote  tribes  who 
had  been  made  prisoners  bj'  the  Ottawas  or  Iroquois.  They  were 
sold  to  the  whites,  in  .some  instances  given  as  presents  by  a  chief 
>vho  wished  to  secure  the  good  offices  of  tiie  pale-face.  They 
made  exceptionally  good  servants,  and  were  much  attached  to 
their  ma.sters.  The  records  of  Ste.  Anne's  have  faithfully  chron- 
icled their  births,  marriages  and  deaths. 

PniESTS   STATIONED   AT    FOUT    PONTCIIAUTKAIN    KUO.M     1701    TO 

1832. 


Father  Valliant,  S.  J.;  Frere  Constantin  Del  Halle,  a  RecoUet, 
—both  accompanied  T.a  Motiie  Cadillac  in  1701;  Del  llalle  was 
killed  by  the  Indians  in  17i)();  2.  Dominitpie  ile  la  ^larclie.  1700- 
1707, — he  was  sent  to  another  mission;  '^.  Cherui)in  Deniau,  1707 
-1714;  4.  Hyacinthe  Pelfresne,  1714-1718;  5.  Calvarin.  V.  G.  of 
the  mission  of  Tamaruas,  1718-1719;  6.  Jean  Mercier,  1719-1720. 
of  the  foreign  missions  of  Paris;  7.  D.  Thaumur.  1720-1722;  8. 
P.  Delino,  1719;  9.  Bonaventurc.  1722-1735,— Chijrlevoix  men- 
tions meeting  him  when  visiting  Fort  E'ontchartrain  in  1722;  10. 


268  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

P.  Daniel,  1785-1738;  11.  Bonaventure,  again,  from  1738-1754; 
12.  De  la  Ricliardie,  S.  J.,  residinc;  at  the  Island  of  Bois  Blanc, 
1738-1754;  13.  Simple  Boquet,  17^54-1784;  14.  P.  Hubert,  priest 
of  the  Assumption,  Sandwich,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Quebec;  15. 
P.  Payet,  1782-1786;  16.  Pierre  Freshet,  1786-1796;  17.  Michel 
Levadoux,  1796-1802;  18.  Gabriel  Richard,  V.  G.  of  the  Sulpici- 
ans. — allied  on  the  maternal  side  to  Bossuet,  the  great  pulpit 
orator  of  France, — from  1789-1832. 

This  remarkable  man  was  born  at  Siiintes,  France,  October  15, 
1764.  He  was  educated  at  the  College  of  Angers,  and  studied  for 
the  ministry  at  the  Theological  Seminary  of  Paris.  During  the 
lievolution,  he  left  France,  came  to  America  and  was  appointed 
Professor  of  Mathematics  in  St.  Mary's  College,  Md.  He  was  a 
missionary  to  the  Indians  for  six  years.  In  1798  he  came  to  De- 
troit and  built  the  present  Ste.  Anne's  Church.  He  was  a  man 
of  wonderful  erudition;  he  spoke  and  wrote  in  seven  different 
languages.  So  anxious  was  he  to  establish  schools  for  the  educa- 
tion of  his  flock  that  he  sent  to  France  for  teachers.  The  first 
printing-press  in  the  Northwest  was  brought  to  Detroit  by  him. 
All  the  laws  of  the  Territory  and  the  printed  matter  then  required 
was  done  under  his  immediate  supervision.  He  published  the 
Michigan  Ensay,  a  French  newspaper,  which  was  later  discon- 
tinued. Many  an  old  French  family  to-day  possess  prayer-books 
and  other  religious  works  published  by  this  pioneer  press.  He 
took  an  active  interest  in  everj^thing  appertaining  to  the  growth 
and  advancement  of  the  Territory. 

In  1823  he  was  elected  delegate  to  Congress,  where  his  success- 
ful efforts  for  the  good  of  the  Territory  earned  him  the  grateful 
appreciation  of  every  enterprising  citizen.  His  acquaintance  was 
eagerly  sought  by  Catholic  and  Protestant.  There  were  no  f3re 
engines,  nor  well-regulated  fire  departments  in  those  days.  At 
the  first  alarm  all  able-bodied  citizens  ranged  themselves  in  two 
lines  from  the  river  to  the  burning  pile,  the  leather  buckets  (which 
always  hung  in  the  front  h;dl)  were  passed  up  one  line,  the  empty 
ones  down  the  opposite  one.  Father  Richard  always  took  his 
place  with  the  rest.  During  the  cholera  he  was  indefatigable  in 
attendance  on  the  sick  and  dying.  Two  long  months  of  inces- 
sant labor  among  the  most  harrowing  scenes,  told  heavily  on  a 
constitution  already  impaired  by  great  austerities  and  over-work. 
Yet  the  weary,  worn,  faithful  guardsman  of  Calvary  only  left 
his  post  when  disease  placed  its  fatal  impress  upon  him.  Even 
then,  mindful  of  his  flock,  he  consoled  them  by  promising  that 
his  death  "  would  close  the  door  on  the  cholera."  The  prediction 
was  verified;  his  w^as  the  last  case.  Two  thousand  mourners 
followed  his  remains  to  their  last  resting  place,  the  sublime  char- 
acter of  the  man  conquering  nature's  selfish  fear  of  contagion. 
For  forty-three  years  he  was  intimately  identified  with  the  City 
of  the  Straits.     In  the  history  of   DetVoit  Gabriel  Richard  will 


Early  Frencli  Families.  209- 

always  lio  Hie  cenlrnl  fiiriiie  as  an  acToniplisliod  srliolar,  a  spirited 
citi/cn,  an  able  statesman  ami  a  saintly  and  heroic;  priest. 

Vincent  Steiihcn  JJadin,  \S'M, — the  first  Catholic  juicst  or- 
dained in  the  United  States.  In  1821  Rev.  Father  Fenwick 
became  IJisiiop  of  Cincinnati  and  Administrator  of  ^licliii^an. 
Bisliop  Hc/.e  was  the  tirst  i5isli()|)  ai)p(iinic(i  tor  the  See  of  Michi- 
gan. Ste.  Anne's  then  iiccame  the  Catiiedral  and  remained  .so 
until  Sts.  1^'ter  and  Pawl  (the  pri'sent  Jesuit  Clnirch)  was  com- 
pleted by  liishoji  Ijelcbrc  Tlie  corner  stone  of  the  third  Ste. 
Anne's  was  laid  in  lSO(j  i)y  Hishop  Flaget,  of  Kentucky,  though 
not  linished  until  many  years  later. 

To  the  kindness  and  courtesy  of  the  present  pastor  of  Ste. 
Anne's,  Rev.  Theophile  Aneiau.x,  I  am  under  many  oblii^ations 
for  access  to  the  old  and  valuable  records  of  thi.s  venerable 
church. 

FRENCH  COMMANDERS  AT  FORT  PONTCHARTRAIN. 


Cadillac,  1701-1714;  De  Bouri^mont  durinij  Cadillac's  absence, 
1706;  DeLaForet,  1711-1717;  I)u  Buisson,  temporary  commander, 
1712;  Ali)honse  de  Tonly,  Baron  de  Faludy,  1717-1724;  Des- 
champs  de  BoieiielH^rt,  172.~)-17oO:  llu!4ii(;s  Pcan,  I.ord  de  I.ivau- 
diere,  Knight  of  St.  Louis,  hereditary  Town  Major  of  (^nebec, 
1734;  Rajot;  Auirustin  Le  (rardeur  de  Courtemanche;  De  Noyelle 
de  Fleurimont,  1739;  Deschaillons  de  St.  Ours;  Dai^neau.x  i)ou- 
ville;  Pierre  Payen  de  Noyan;  Jac(iues  Chiis.  de  Sabrevois;  .lean 
Bapte  de  Celeron;  Paul  .Jos.  Le  Moynede  Lonijueil,  1743;  Nicohis 
D'Ameau  de  Muy;  Marie  Francois  Pieote  de  Bellestre. 

Suri;eons:  1.  Antoine  Forestier;  2.  Jean  Baptc;  Chapoton,  1718 
-noo;  Gabriel  Chri-tophe  Le  Gr.uid,  17r).5-17()0;  Dr.  Charles 
Christian  Anthon,  1700-1764.  He  came  to  Detroit,  November  29, 
1700,  willi  Major  Koijers.  He  married,  in  1770,  Marianne  Na- 
varre, widow  of  Jacques  St.  Martin.  He  was  the  father  of  the 
celebrated  classical  scholar,  Charles  Anthon. 

ADHEMAR    DE    ST.    MARTIN. 


To  this  family  beloni^  a  brancii  of  Navarre,  Godc  de  Maren- 
tette,  the  Authons  of  New  York,  the  Scotch  branch  of  .Mcintosh. 

Antoine  Adhemar  de  St.  Martin  was  appointed  a  Royal  Notary 
at  Quebec  as  early  as  1000.  He  wa.s  the  son  of  ."Sliehel  and  Cecile 
Gache,  de  St.  Salvy,  Haut  LangiKuloc.  He  married  twice.  His 
descendants  b\'  his  first  wife  are  still  in  Canada.  By  his  second, 
Alichelle  Cusson.  whom  he  married  in  10S7,  he  had  one  son.  .Jean 
Bapte,  born  in  10^9,  who  in  1709,  came  to  Detroit,  and  married 
there  Marie  Louise  l)o.i,^)n,  by  whom  he  hail  five  children:  1.  Jo- 
seph, married  17")7  .Madeleine  Peuillet;  he  died  in  1778;  2.  .Jac- 
ques,   surnamed   La   Butte,    married    1700,    .Mariaime    Navarre^ 


270  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

diiua:liter  of  Robert,  the  Sub-Intendant;  3.  Francois;  4.  Mar- 
guerite, married  1758,  Col.  Louis  Jadot.  Slie  is  the  ancestress 
of  the  Anthons  of  New  York;  5.  Marie  Louise,  married  1760, 
Jacques  Gode  de  Marcntette. 

Jacques  de  St.  Martin,  frequently  called  La  Butte,  was  a  noted 
interpreter.  He  was  a  brother-in  law  of  Lieut.  Geo.  McDougall, 
whom  he  accompanied  with  Major  Campbell  to  Pontiac's  camp 
at  that  chief's  suggestion  that  he  wished  to  treat  with  them.  (The 
office  of  interpreter  was  a  very  important  one,  and  the  English 
suffered  much  owing  to  the  rascality  of  some  of  these  men.  The 
French  missionaries  and  French  officers  were  mostly  all  familiar 
with  the  Indian  languages  and  were  seldom  imposed  upon.  Brad- 
street  and  yir  William  Johnson  complained  of  their  interpreters, 
but  always  made  honorable  exceptions  of  Chaliert  de  Joncaire, 
Chesne  La  Butte,  later  of  Henry  Connor  and  Whittmore  Knaggs.) 
He  married  Marianne  Navarre,  who  after  his  death  in  1768,  mar- 
ried Dr.  George  Christian  Anthon.  She  died  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
,six,  leaving  no  heirs  by  Anthon,  but  three  by  St.  Martin.  They 
resided  in  the  old  Cass  House  which  belonged  to  St.  Martin.  1. 
St.  Martin  St.  Marlin,  died  in  early  manhood,  unmarried;  2. 
Finon.  married  Philip  Fry;  3.  Archange,  born  1766,  married 
Angus  Mcintosh,  who  inherited  the  estates  which  belonged  to  the 
Earldom  of  Moy,  tlie  Earldom  itself  having  been  forfeited  in  the 
rebellion  against  the  House  of  Hanover.  He  was  noted  for  his  lav- 
ish hospitality.  The  sons  of  this  marriage  returned  to  Scotland, 
Two  of  the  daughters  were  well  known  in  Detroit,  Mrs.  Henry 
J.  Hunt,  and  Miss  Kittie  Mcintosh  who  died  a  few  years  ago. 

ANTHON  BR.\NCH. 

Marguerite  de  St.  Martin  married,  1758,  Col.  Louis  Jadot,  an 
officer  in  de  Muy's  regiment.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Jacques 
Jadot.  former  Mayor  and  Alderman  of  Rocrois  (Fi'ance),  and 
Marie  Bolaiid.  Col.  Jadot  was  killed  in  1765  by  the  Indians,  his 
wife  had  died  in  1764  leaving  an  infant  daughter.  Genevieve,  to 
the  care  of  her  brother  Jacques  and  his  wife  Marianne  Navarre. 
Little  Genevieve  was  kindly  taken  care  of  by  her  aunt  Marianne, 
who  becoming  a  widow  married  Dr.  Anthon.  In  1773  Mrs.  An- 
thon died,  and  Genevieve  was  left  with  her  cousins,  the  St.  Martin 
children,  as  the  wards  of  Dr.  Anthon  and  their  uncle,  Alexander 
Macomb.  When  Genevieve  reached  her  fifteenth  year  Dr.  An- 
thon married  her;  he  was  at  the  time  forty-five. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  doctor  whose  life  was  an  adventurous 
one  and  who  gave  to  America  its  most  celebrated  classical  scholar, 
Charles  Anthon,  may  be  interesting  to  many.  Dr.  Geo.  Christian 
Anthon,  born  at  Salzugen  in  1734,  died  in  New  York  in  1815.  He 
studied  medicine  in  his  nativ  ■  place,  afterwards  at  Gerstungen. 
In  1750  he  passed  his  examination  before  the  medical  authorities 


Early  French  Families.  271 

of  Eisenbach.  From  tlicncc  in  17r)4  he  went  to  Ainstenlam, 
passed  two  examinations  there  before  the  ('olleire  of  Surgeons,  jiiul 
was  :i])iiointed  siuireon  in  tlie  Duteh  West  India  trade.  He  made 
several  voyaujes  but  tlic  vessel  lie  was  on  was  eaplured  in  1757  by 
a  British  i)rivateer  from  iSCw  York,  and  was  carried  into  that 
port.  At  the  aa:e  of  twenty-three,  he  found  liimself  in  a  new  and 
stransje  country  without  friends  and  wiih  no  otlier  resources  than 
his  profes.sion.  Confident  of  his  ability  he  applied  for  a  position 
in  the  military  hospital  at  Albany.  Jlis  talents  were  reco^jnized 
and  he  was  appointed  First  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  First  Batlal- 
lion,  Si.xtieth  IJeginient,  Royal  Ameiicans.  In  17G0,  he  was  de- 
tached with  the  i)arly  which  under  Major  Koirers  took  possession 
of  Detroit.  He  married  twice:  Isl,  ^larianne  Navarre,  the  widow 
of  Jacques  de  St.  ^lartin,  by  whom  he  had  no  heirs;  in  177S  Gen- 
evieve Jadot,  her  orphan  niece  on  the  St.  Martin  side.  In  178G  Dr. 
Anthon  removed  with  his  family  to  New  York,  journeying  thither 
by  way  of  Montreal.  Three  of  the  doctor's  children' were  born 
in  Delroit.  Georire.  born  1781.  died  N.  Y.,  IHfJ.l;  John,*  l)orn 
1784,  died  N.  Y.,  1803;  Dorothea  Loui.sa.  born  178G.  died  N.  Y., 
1786;  Catherine,  born  1787,  died  N.  Y.,  1789;  Jane,  born  1791, 
died  N.  Y'.,  18r)9;  Louisa,  born  1793;  Henry,  born  1795,  died  1801, 
became  the  Kev.  Henry  Anthon  of  "St.  ^lark's"  in  the  Bowery; 
Charles,  born  1797,  died  1807,  the  most  accomplished  Greek  and 
Latin  scholar  of  America;  William,  born  1799,  died  1831;  ^laric, 
t)oru  1801,  died  1803;  Edward,  born  1S05,  died  1830. 

BABY. 


This  family,  .strictly  speaking,  after  the  English  Conquest  be- 
came and  remained  English  subjects.  One  of  its  illustrious 
branches  was  born  in  Detroit,  and  a  few  of  its  descendants  still 
reside  in  the  Slate.  The  founder  was  J;icques  Baby  de  Hainviile, 
son  of  Jean,  Seigneur  de  Hainviile,  and  Isabeau  Rol)in,  of  Guienne, 
France.  Jacques  was  an  otliccr  in  the  famous  Carii^nan  Regi- 
ment, and  thus  came  to  America.  He  married,  in  1670,  Jehaune 
Dandonneau  du  Sablee.     Their  children  were: 

Marie  Jeaime,  born  1671,  married  1689,  Paul  de  Lusignau,  and 
in  1700,  Claude  Pauperet. 

Jacques,  born  1673,  married  1709,  Madeline  Veron  de  Grand- 
mesnil. 

Marie  Madeleine,  born  1683,  married  1708.  Jean  Bapte.  Crevior 
de  Duvernay,  a  noted  family,  allied  to  the  Gamclins,  Hertels  de 
Rouville,  Boucher  and  Gatineau  Du  Ple.ssis. 

Raymond,  born  1683,  married  1731,  Thert'se  Dupre.  daughter 

*John  was  one  of  tlie  most  eminent  lawyers  of  New  Y''ork. 
Author  of  several  valuable  legal  works. 


272  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

of  Louis  Lecompte  Diipre  and  Ciitherine  St.  Georges.  They  were 
blessed  with  many  children;, of  their  daughters,  one  became  the 
Mother  Therese  de  Jesus,  Ursuline  nun  at  Three  Rivers,  one  mar- 
ried Dr.  Claude  Benoist,  of  Montreal,  another  married  Louis- 
Perrault,  the  fourth  married  Jean  Bapte,  de  Niverville,  Seigneur 
dcChamblay;  of  the  sons,  Antoine  died  unmarried,  Louis  mar- 
ried 1758,  Louise  de  Couague.  daughter  of  Jean  Bapte,  Captain 
of  Infantry,  and  Marguerite  Le  Neuf  de  Falaise. 

Jacques  Duperon  I3aby  settled  at  Detroit.  His  name  is  inti- 
mately woven  in  the  liistory  of  the  seige  of  Pontiac,  in  1760.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  worth  and  integrity,  gaining  alike  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  the  French,  English  and  Indians.  He  married 
in  1760,  Susanne  Reaume,  daughter  of  Pierre  and  Susanne  Hu- 
bert de  la  Croix.  Jacques  died  in  1796,  leaving  eleven  children 
to  bless  his  name  and  to  emulate  his  good  example.  Of  the  girls, 
one  married  Mr.  Caldwell,  one  Mr.  Allison,  another  Ross  Lerin, 
and  tlie  fourth  Mr.  Bellingham,  afterwards  Lord  Bellingham. 
Three  of  the  sons  became  officers  in  the  British  army,  and  by 
tlieir  bravery  won  renown  and  high  positions.  They  were  Daniel, 
Antoine  and  Louis.  Pierre  studied  medicine  at  Edinburg,  Scot- 
land. He  returned  to  Canada  and  married  a  lady  of  Scotch 
extraction. 

Jacques,  the  eldest  of  Jacques  Duperon  and  Susanne  Reaume, 
after  completing  his  studies  at  the  Seminary  of  Quebec,  went  to 
Europe  to  perfect  liimself  in  certain  branches.  He  married  Eliza 
Abbot,  by  whom  he  liad  live  boys  and  one  girl: 

Jacques  became  a  lawyer,  and  died  in  Toronto;  lie  had  married 
the  daughter  of  an  English  officer. 

Raymond  was  sheriff  for  Kent  Co. 

Charles  settled  in  Sandwich  and  left  several  children. 

William  also  settled  in  Sandwich. 

Eliza  married  Hon.  Charles  Casgrain,  son  of  Pierre  Casgrain, 
Seigneur  de  la  Bouteillerie,  whose  sons  and  grandsons  have  re- 
flected glory  on  their  ancestry.  Dr.  Casgrain  in  surgery.  Abbe 
Raymond  by  his  gifted  pen,  Thomas  Chase  Casgrain,  of  Quebec, 
at  the  bar,  whilst  the  daughters  have  devoted  their  lives  to  the 
service  of  God. 

Francois  Dufresne  Baby,  youngest  son  of  Raymond  and  The- 
rese  Diipre,  married  at  Quebec,  in  1786.  Marianne  Tarieu  de 
Lanaudiere,  granddaughter  of  Baron  de  Longueil.  She  died  in 
1844,  leaving  four  boys  and  four  girls.  Francois,  a  son,  married 
a  sister  of_Bishop  Pinsonnault. 

BARTHE. 


Theophile  Barthe,  armorer  to  the  king,  married  in  Montreal,  in 
1718,  Charlotte  Alavoine,  daughter  of  a  prominent  merchant  of 
that  city.     Two  of  their  sons,  Charles  and  Pierre,  left  home  to 


I'Mi'iij  French  Pamilles.  273 

seek  th(;ir  forluiio  in  Lii  Mollie  ("iidillac's  colony,  ("liarles  hcfaine 
vciy  proiniiu'iit,  .setlleil  lor  u  while  at  Mackinaw,  lie  met  his 
fate  in  'JMu'rese  Canipcau,  daughter  of  liouis  and  Marie  Louise 
Robert,  and  married  her  in  1747.  (At  their  marriage  at  Fort 
Pontchartrain  were  iiresent.Iosepli  Lemoyne  de  Lougueil,  Kni"ht 
of  St.  liOuis,  Commandant  of  the  post,  Jos.  Douaire  do  Bondy, 
C'has. '^('hesnc,  Du  iMns.seaux,  Dr.  Chapoton,  Pierre  Chesne, 
Father  IJonaventiire,  jiricsl.)  Charles  and  TherC'se  were  ble.ssed 
with  a  numerous  oJVspnng,  whose  descendants  all  occupy  promi- 
nent positions  in  Canada  and  in  the  United  States. 

I.  Marie  Archainic,  born  1749.  Dr.  Chapoton,  of  the  F'rench 
army,  was  her  godfather.  She  mariied  John  Askiu,  Governor 
of  Michinimackinac.  The  Askins  are  of  Scotch  origin  and  trace 
back  to  the  Karl  of  Mar.  A  branch  of  this  famil}^  settled  in  Ire- 
land, and  from  there  emigrated  to  America.  The  proper  name 
is  HrskiiK  but  was  converted  into  Askin  by  the  Irish  brancli. 
The  children  of  John  and  Marie  Archange  were: 

I.  Cn.vui-KS  John,  b.  1 7Stl;mairied  .Moniquc  Jacobs.  He  dwelt 
in  the  old  Askin  homestead  at  Walkerviile,  Canada,  called  Streb- 
iinc,  after  the  ancestral  estate  in  Ireland. 

II.  Adelaide,  b.  :May  ;^Oth,  178:3;  married  1802,  Elijah  Brush. 
Attorney  General  of  the  ISorth-West  Territory  and  Colonel  of  the 
Legionary  Corps  during  the  war  of  1813.  Four  children  were 
the  fruit  of  this  union: 

1.  Ei-)mi;ni),  married  Elizabeth  Cass  Hunt 

2.  Dr.  Alfred,  died  unmarried. 

3.  Charles,  married  Jane  Forsyth. 

4.  Cymelhia,  married  Mr.  .Meredith. 

III.  Therese,  married  Col.  Alexander  McKee,  the  British  Indian 
Agent.  The  oidy.son  of  this  marriage,  Alexander,  married  Felice 
Jacobs,  of  Sandwich,  Canada,  where  his  descendants  reside. 

IV.  Ellen,  b.  1788,  married  Mr.  Pattinson,  whose  son  Hichard 
was  a  British  olHcer,  afterwards  appointed  Governor  of  Heligo- 
land. 

V.   Archange,  married  Mr.  Meredith. 

VI.  Alexander,  died  unmarried. 
VII.  James,  afterw;irds  Col.  Askin,  of  the  British  Militia.     He 
married  Francoise  Navarre  Gode  iMarentette.     He  was  Jiegistcrof 
Deeds  of  Essex  County,  an  ollice  which  has  been  held  by  his  son 
and  grand.sou.     The  children  of  this  marriage  are: 

Joii.N,  married.  1st,  Moni(juc  Navarre,  daughterof  Col.  Francois 
Navarre,  of  ^Monroe;  2d.  ^leliuda  McCroskey,  daughterof  James 
and  Susiume  Godfroy. 

Aiuii.vNoi;,  married  Henry  Ronalds,  of  England,  whose  only 
child,  Lucy,  married  George  Harris,  of  London,  Canada. 

James,  .settled  in  Australia. 

Therese. 

Al-ICK. 

IH 


274  Leyends  of  Le  Detroit. 

CnAHLEs,  was  killed  by  a  sentinel  during  the  Patriot  War. 
Ellen. 

Jane,  married,  1st,  Daniel  Murray,  of  Toronto;  2nd.  Edward 
Skae. 

2.  Catherine  Barthe,  b.  1750,  died  young. 

3.  Jean  Baptiste,  b.  1753,  married  Genevieve  Cuillerier  de 
Beaubien,  a  niece  of  Piquote  de  Bellestre.  He  left  several  chil- 
dren. One  of  his  daughters,  Therese,  married  Hubert  Villier,  dit 
St.  Louis. 

4.  Bonaventure,  b.  1756. 

5.  Charles  Andre,  died  young. 

6.  Louis  Theophile,  b.  1760,  married,  2nd  time,  1802,  Made- 
leine Des  Ruisseaux  de  Belcour,  daughter  of  Francois  and  Made- 
leine Adhemar  de  Lusignan. 

7.  Therese,  b.  1758,  married  Commodore  Alexander  Grant. 
Pierre  Barthe,  a  younger  brother  of  Charles,  followed  him 

later  to  Fort  Pontchartraiu,  and  was  associated  with  him  in  his 
extensive  trade  at  Mackinaw  and  with  the  Miamis.  In  1760 
Pierre  married  Charlotte  Chapoton,  daughter  of  Dr.  Jean  Chap- 
oton,  surgeon  in  the  French  army.  Their  daughter,  Char- 
lotte, b.  1763,  was  the  only  survivor  of  four  children.  She 
married,  in  1780,  Lt.  Louis  Reaume,  of  the  British  army,  who 
left  her  a  young  widows  within  the  year.  In  1784  she  became  the 
second  wife  of  Antoine  Louis  Descomptes  Labadie,  surnamed 
"Badichon,"  and  became  the  grandmother  of  Mrs.  R.  S.  Willis, 
Mrs.  Giesse,  Mrs.  Alexander  Chapoton,  Sr.,  the  Lagraves,  of  St. 
Louis,  Mo. 

Commodore  Alexander  Grant  married,  in  1774,  Therese,  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  Barthe,  and  Marie  Therese  Campeau,  was  of  the 
clan  of  Grants  of  Glenmoriston,  Scotland.  He  entered  the  navy 
at  an  early  age,  but  resigned  in  1757  to  join  a  Highland  regiment 
raised  for  the  army  of  General  Amherst  in  America.  In  1759  he 
reached  Lake  Champlain.  Gen.  Amherst  desiring  able  officers 
for  his  fleet  on  the  lake,  commissioned  Lieut.  Grant  to  the  com- 
mand of  a  sloop  of  sixteen  guns.  After  the  conquest  of  Canada, 
Grant  was  ordered  to  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario.  Detroit  was  then 
an  English  garrison,  and  it  was  here  he  met  his  fate  in  Therese 
Barthe.  He  built  his  castle  as  it  was  called  at  Grosse  Pointe.  (Its 
site  is  at  present  occupied  by  Mr.  T.  P.  Hall's  summer  residence, 
"Tonnancour.")  It  was  a  noted  place  for  the  courtesy  of  its 
host  and  his  open,  generous  hospitality.  Tecumseh  and  his 
warriors  were  frequent  guests  at  the  Grant  castle.  The  Commo- 
dore belonged  to  the  executive  council  in  1805  of  Upper  Canada. 
In  a  letter  to  his  brother  Alpine,  dated  from  York  (Toronto),  July 
5,  1811,  he  saj's:  "My  duty  where  my  naval  command  requires 
me  is  such  a  distance  from  here  that  I  cannot  travel  in  the  winter 
when  the  Legislature  meets,  but  I  come  down  at  my  ease  in  the 


Early  French  Families.  »     275 

8umm(M'  and  lake  some  sittings  in  the  council.  A  gentleman  who 
has  served  his  country  upwards  of  rtfty-live  years  reiiuires  some 
indulgence,  and  my  superiors  allow  it  to  me."  He  Avas  a  man  of 
commanding  presence,  a  great  favorite  and  a  good  oflicer.  He 
had  ten  daughters,  who  are  to-day  represented  by  the  English- 
Canadian  families  of  Wrights,  K()l)insons,  Dicksons,  Woods, 
DulTs,  Gilkersons,  Millers,  Jacobs  and  Hichardsons.  Mr.  Jasper 
Oiikerson,  of  Brant  ford,  whom  the  author  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting,  has  been  in  chargf!  of  th<;  Indians  in  Canada  for  many 
years.  So  faithful  has  he  been  to  his  charge,  that  any  promise 
made  to  the  Indians  by  him  has  always  been  kept  by  the  govern- 
ment. A  worthy  representative  of  his  grandfather.  Commodore 
Grant,  who  when  administrator,  with  the  power  of  giving  free 
grants  of  land,  never  granted  any  to  his  family  or  their  connec 
Uons.     Commodore  Grant  died  at  Grosse  Pointe  in  1813. 

BEAUFAIT. 

In  179G,  Sergeant  Winthrop,  Acting  Governor  of  the  North  West 
Territory,  formed  the  new  County  of  Wayne.  Its  boundaries  ex- 
tended from  the  Cayuga  river  on  the  west,  to  the  dividing  line  now 
existing  between  Indiana  and  Illinois,  on  the  north  to  the  national 
boundary  line,  including  all  of  the  subsequent  territory  of  Michi- 
gan, and  a  portion  of  Ohio  and  Indiana.  The  Courts  of  Com- 
mon Pleas  for  Wayne  comity  were  organized,  and  the  Judges 
chosen  to  preside  over  them  were  business  men,  upright,  honest, 
and  intelligent.  Louis  Beaufait  was  the  first  Senior  Justice.  He 
came  directly  from  France,  was  the  son  of  Luc  and  Gabrielle 
Sourceau,  parish  of  St.  ^lartin,  diocese  de  la  Rochelle.  In  17(56  he 
married  Theresede  ^lersac,  d.  of  Francois,  and  Therese  Campeau. 
Their  children  were  :  Tiio.\r.\s,  b.  17G8;  Makie  Iuene,  b.  1770, 
married  Jean  Bapte  Rivard,  sou  of  J.  Bapte  and  Catherine  Iliax; 
Louis,  b.  1773,  afterwards  Col.  Beaufait.  He  lived  on  the  old 
IJeaufait  farm,  (to-day  known  as  the  Bagg).  There  the  cele- 
brated Chippewa  warrior  Kishkaukou  came  to  eneani]!  after  the 
murder  of  Judge  Ilielly's  clerk.  He  was  made  a  prisoner  and 
woidd  have  paid  the  penally  of  his  crime  on  the  gallows,  had  he 
not  poisoned  himself  on  the  eve  of  the  execution.  He  married, 
1804,  Loui.se  Saussier.  A  son  of  Col.  Beaufait,  Lours,  married, 
1835,  Catherine  Peltier,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Martha  Cecile 
Chapoton;  Elizabetu,  b.  1778. 

CAMPEAU. 


This  family  still  retains  in  the   "Citj-  of  the  Straits"  the  same 
prestige  it   held  in  the  early  days  of  the  colony.      So  numerous 


276     '  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

were  its  branches  that  there  is  scarcely  now  a  familj^  of  French 
descent  in  Detroit,  whicli  does  not  claim  a  Canipeaii  among  its 
ancestors.     The  first  of  the  name  who  came  to  Canada  was: 

Etienne,  who  married  in  1663,  at  Montreal,  Catherine  Paulo. 
Their  children  were : 

1.  Etienne,  b.  1664,  mar.  1690  Jeanne  Fouche;  2.  Michel,  b. 
1G67,  mar.  1696  Jeanne  Masse;  3.  Francois,  b.  1671,  mar.  1698 
^Madeleine  Brossard;  4.  Jacques,  b.  1677,  mar.  1699  Cecile  Catin, 
d.  1751;  5.  Jean  Baptiste,  b.  1681;  6.  Agathe,  b.  1685,  mar.  1701 
Paul  Chevalier;     7.   Catherine,  b.  1669,  mar,  1685,  Francois  Blot. 

Michel  and  Jacques  came  and  settled  in  Detroit  about  1710,  and 
are  the  ancestors  of  all  the  numerous  branches  of  the  name  in  De- 
troit, Monroe,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  and  Chicago,  111. 

ELDEST    BRANCH. 

Michel  and  Jean  De  Merles,  were  the  pioneer  merchants  of  De- 
troit.   The  former  mar.  1696,  Jeanne  Masse.  Their  children  were: 

1.  Marianne,  mar.  1734,  Pierre  Belleperche,  son  of  Pierre  and 
Gertrude  Du  Buisson  Guyon,  a  near  relative  of  Cadillac's  wife. 

3.  Antoine,  mar.  1736,  M.  Angelique  Peltier.  He  died  in  1759 
leaving  the  following  children:  1.  Alexis,  b.  1737,  mar.  1763,  Mad- 
eleine Du  Muy.  His  children  were:  Antoine,  Marie  Madeleine, 
Therese,  b.  1770,  Alexis,  b.  1778;  2.  Josette,  b.  1738,  mar.  1753. 
Guillaume  St.  Bernard;  3.  Catherine,  b.  1742:  4.  Charles,  b. 
1746,  mar.  1772,  M.  Louise  Borde  St.  Saurin.  His  son  Charles,  b. 
1773;  5. "Antoine,  b.  1754;  6.  Therese,  b.  1749,  mar.  1766,  Am- 
broise  Riopelle. 

3.  Marguerite. 
■  4.  Paul  Alexis,  mar.  1742,  M.  Charlotte  Pineau,  whose  children 
were:  1.   Charlotte,  b.  1744,  mar.  1762,  Jos.  Drouin;  2.  Paul,  b. 
1746;  3.   Francois,  b.  1749;  4.   Catherine,  b.  1751. 

5.  Michel,  mar.  1740,  Marie  Josette  Buteau,  whose  children 
were:  1.  Marie  Josette,  b.  1745;  2.  Charles,  b.  1749;  3.  Michel. 

6.  Charles,  mar.  1751,  Cath.  Casse  St.  Aubin.  He  mar.  1754, 
Charlotte  Montrais;  his  children  were:  1.  Charlotte,  b.  1757, 
mar.  1772,  Touissant  Greiion;  2.  Charles,  b.  1760;  3.  Rosalie,  b. 
1761 ;  4.  Bridgitte,  mar.  1772,  Rene  Tivierge. 

CADET   BRANCH. 

Jacques,  brother  of  Michel,  (held  the  position  of  armorer)'mar. 
1699,  Cecile  Catin.     They  had  the  following  children: 

1.  J.  Louis,  b.  1702,  mar.  1725,  Marie  Louise  Robert. 

2.  Henri,  b.  1704. 

3.  Marianne,  mar.  1732,  Joseph  Douaire  de  Bondy,  son  of 
Jacques  and  Madeleine  Gatineau  Duplessis. 

4.  Nicolas  (Niagara),  b.  1707,  mar.  1733,  Agathe  Casse  St. 
Aubin.     He  died  in  1756,  leaving  the  following  children :  Agathe 


J'Mrlij  F rem  oh  Fainilies.  277 

mar.  17r)8,  Alexis  sr^ruiri  Liideroutc;  Marianne,  mar.  1763,  Alexis 
Bienvenu  Delisie;  Angeli(jue,  mar.  1759,  Antoine  Louis  Des- 
comptcs  Labadie  (Badichou);  Cecile,  mar.  1784,  Pierre  C'liesne 
St.  Onge. 

5.  Jean  Bai)te,  h.  1710,  mar.  1737,  f'atli.  Perlhuis,  d.  of 
Pierre  and  Catli.  Mallet,  of  Montreal,  whose  children  were:  Jean 
Bapte   (Piniciie),   mar.  17(54,  Cath.   Boyer;    liypolite,   mar.    17(58, 

Ange]i(iue    Cardonet ;    Juiien,  b.    17o5;    Jo.seph,    b.  ;     Louis; 

Francois,  mar.  IHOf),  Susanne  Morand. 

G.  Claude,  mar.  1742,  Catherine  Ca.sse  St.  Aubin. 

1.  J.  Louis,  the  elde.st  son  of  Jacques  and  Cecile  Catin,  mar.,  in 
172"),  Marie  Ijouise  Itobert.  The  followini!;  children  blessed  the 
union:  1.  Marie  Theri^so,  b.  1727,  mar.  1747,  Chas.  Andre  Barthe, 
and  is  the  ancestress  of  the  families  of  Askin,  Grant,  etc. :  2. 
Francois;  3.  Jacques,  b.  173"),  mar.  17(50,  Cath.  3Ienard,  in  1784, 
Francoise  Navarre,  widow  of  Lt.  (tco.  .McI)oui,^all,  of  the  British 
Army;  4.  Simon,  b.  17:>9,  mar.  17(54,  Cath.  Boyer.  His  children 
were:  Henri,  b.  1773;  Simon  Chas.,  b.  1709,  mar.  Jo.sctte  Gamelin; 
Archange,  b.  17(5(5;  5.  Jean  Bapte,  b.  1743,  mar.  17G7,  GeneviC'VC 
Gode  de  Marentette,  whose  children  were:  1.  Theresc,  b.  1709;  2. 
Ale.xis.b.  1771,  mar.  179"),  AiratheCliesne.  A  daughter  Therese  (of 
Ale.xi.s)  mar.  1820,  Philippe  Chabert  de  Joncaire,  son  of  the 
Chevalier  Francois  Chabert  and  Josette  Chesne;  3.  Genevieve, 
b.  1707,  mar.  1793.  GabriOl  Chesne. 

Jacquks.  3(1  child  of  J.  Louis  and  Marie  Louise  Robert,  mar. 
17(50,  (Jatherine  Menard.  He  was  one  of  the  1st  Cai)tainsof  Militia, 
and  his  services  are  fretpiently  mentioned,  with  high  praise  in 
tlie  early  annals  of  Detroit.  There  is  a  tradition  that  Jaccpies' 
grandfather  was  Jja  Mothe  Cadillac's  Secretary  for  a  wliile.  If 
handwriting  were  any  recommendation,  Cadillac's  choice  was  a 
fortunate  one,  for,  as  a  family,  their  chirograpliy  is  peculiarly 
noticeable  for  its  beauty  ami  distinctness.  Jaccpies  possessed  nmch 
property,  which  is  still  in  the  family,  and  with  the  ra])id  irrowlh 
of  the  city,  has  become  inunensely  vahiable.  In  1784  lie  mar. 
Francoise  Navarre,  d.  Of  the  Sub-Inlendant,  and  the  widow  of 
the  gallant  ollicer,  (Jeorge  McDougall.  l}y  his  .second  wife  he 
had  no  lirirs,  but  by  his  first,  se\'cral:  among  others  the  following 
ones : 

1.  J.vcijUKs,  1).  17(52,  mar.  \lx\),  Susanne  Cuillerier  de  Heaubien. 
d.  of  Jean  Bajite.  and  .Marianne  l-olluuan  de  Barrois.  They  had 
two  cliildren:  Sophie,  mar.  James  Dubois;  Jacques  (Binettc), 
mar.  1819,  Josette  Chesne;  2.  Angeli({ue.  b.  1704. 

3.  Ckcii-k,  b.  170"),  mar.  17S1,  Judge  Thomas  Williams,  whose 
children  were:  Hli/.abeth.  who  so  nobly  consecrated  her  life  to 
the  education  of  vouth  as  early  as  1S08;  Catherine,  b.  17S4,  mar. 
1809,  Jean  Bai)te"  Pelletier;  John  P.  ((Jenl.)  b.  1706,  mar.  Miss 
Mott,  imd  his  descendants  are  all  well  known  in  Detroit. 


278  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

4.  Joseph,  b.  1769,  mar.  1808,  Adelaide  De  Quindre;  5.  Bar- 
nabe.  b.  1770,  mar.  1st,  Therese  Cicotte,  2nd,  Arcliange  McDou- 
.Call;  6.  Loui.s  (Louizon),  b.  1767,  mar.  1789,  Therese  Morand. 
His  children  settled  in  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  They  were  ]\Irs.  Cot- 
rell,  Mrs.  Villier  dit  St.  Louis;  George,  mar.  Mile.  Rivard;  An- 
toine,  mar.  Mile.  Cotrell;  Toussaint,  mar.  jMlle.  Mersac;  Louison- 
ette,  mar.  Sophie  de  Mersac. 

Joseph,  b.  Feb.  25, 1769,  died  in  1860,  was  for  many  years  one  of 
the  central  tigures  in  the  history  of  Detroit.  He  inherited  some  of 
his  property,  but  by  untiring  industr}^  careful  management,  aided 
by  the  rapid  increase  and  prosperity  of  the  city  encircling  him  on 
all  sides,  he  was  able  to  leave  to  his  heirs  one  of  the  most  valuable 
estates  in  the  North  West.  He  mar.,  in  1808,  Adelaide,  d.  of 
Antoine  Daigneaux  Douville  De  Quindre  and  Catherine  des 
Rivieres  de  la  Morandi^re.  He  had  a  large  family,  viz. :  1.  Joseph, 
died  unmarried. 

2.  Daniel,  mar.  Marie  Palms,  d.  of  Ange  Palms,  of  Antwerp, 
and  Jeanette  Catherine  PeKters.  Ange  had  been  Quarter- 
master of  one  of  the  divisions  of  Napoleon's  Army,  at  Water- 
loo. By  his  successful  efforts  to  save  the  ammunition  at  that 
disastrous  battle,  he  was  made  by  Napoleon,  on  the  tield,  a 
Chevalier  de  la  Legion  d'Honor.  During  the  stormy  period  of 
the  dethronement  of  Charles  X.,  and  the  elevation  of  Louis 
Phillippe,  the  Citizen  King,  Mr.  Palms  was  obliged  to  leave 
Belgium.  He  remained  two  years  at  Mayence,  in  Germany.  He 
was  an  ardent  admirer  of  Chateaulriand,  and  his  description  of 
America,  with  its  grand  primeval  forests,  its  wonderful  Niagara, 
roused  his  desire  to  travel  through  the  country  which  had  won 
such  enthusiastic  praise  from  France's  most  gifted  sou,  Mr. 
Palms  brought  letters  of  introduction  from  his  intimate  and  per- 
sonal friend,  the  Prince  de  Liege,  Archbishop  of  Malines,  to 
Bishop  Dubois,  of  New  Orleans,  La.,  also  a  letter  to  President 
Van  Buren,  who  introduced  the  Belgian  exile  to  New  York's 
most  cultured  society,  to  the  Van  Ransselars,  Minturns,  Roose- 
velts,  etc. ,  where  he  was  a  welcome  guest.  On  his  travels  he  had 
proceeded  as  far  as  Detroit,  where,  Aug.  26,  1833,  his  wife  died 
of  cholera.  Thus  a  new  land  became  her  tomb,  and  the  cradle 
of  the  race  on  American  soil.  He  abandoned  all  thought  of 
returning  to  Belgium,  for  he  had  given  to  America  his  most 
sacred  deposit.  Ange  Palms'  parents  were:  Francois  and  Marie 
Rosenboeck,  Jeanette  Peeters  his  wife's  parents  were:  Pierre  and 
Jeanne  Catherine  Tumen,  of  Malines,  Belgium.  Ange  had  several 
brothers  and  sisters:  1.  Francois,  a  distinguished  priest,  noted 
for  his  scholarly  attainments;  2.  Frangoise;  3.  Jerome,  a  wealthy 
banker  of  Antwerp;  4.  Baptiste;  5.  Marie  Anne,  mar.  William  Van 
Dick;  6.  Elise,  mar.  ]\Ir.  Calhouy.  Ange's  children  settled  in  Detroit 


Early  French  Families.  279 

cind  in  New  Orloixns,  ].a. ;  thoy  were:  1.  Jean  Pierre;  2.  Francois, 
ni;ir.  at  Detroit,  Catlicriiie  Do.s  Kiviries.  d.  of  Josepli  Campau  and 
Adelaide  do  (^uiiidrc,  \\\\n  died  in  18.S0.  k-aviiiii;  one  dau.!,diter, 
Clotilde.  IJy  a  former  marriage  Francois  liail  one  son.  FitANcois, 
■vvlio  resides  at  present  at  Detroit,  and  wiio  liad  married,  in  Xe\v 
Orleans,  Mile.  Pellerin,  a  descendant  of  the  Acadian  family  of 
that  name;  :!.  Therese,  married  Wm.  Wilder,  of  Rochester.  .N'.  Y.; 
4.  Marie  Fraucoise,  married  Danl.  J.  Campeau,  sou  of  Joseph, 
"wliose  children  are  well  known  in  Detroit.  Danl.  J.  is  a  lawyer; 
Louis  Palms;  and  Adele,  wife  of  Wm.  G.  Tliompson.  Ange  and 
Louis  Palms  married  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  both  reside  there. 

3.  fjKiL.v  ('ami'eau  married  Mr.  Johnston,  of  Grand  Rapids, 
Michigan. 

4.  Oatiikkine  Des  Rivii^res  married  Francois  Palms.  She  died 
in  1880,  leaving  one  daughter. 

5.  Denis  died  unmarried  in  1878. 

6.  Jacques  married  Alice  Edwards,  daughter  of  Major.  Ed- 
wards, U.  S.  A.,  and  Miss  Hunt,  and  left  three  sons. 

7.  Emii.ie  married  Geo.  Lewis. 

8.  Matilde  married  Eustache  Chapoton,  son  of  Eustache  and 
Adelaide  Jvilie  Serat  dit  (^ocjuillard;  one  heir  survives. 

9.  Theodore  married  and  left  no  heirs. 

10.  Timothy  Alexander  married,  and  resides  at  Detroit. 

Barnahk  married  1808,  Therese  Cicotte,  daughter  of  JeanBapte 
and  Angelique  Poupart  Laboise.  He  was  called  L'Abbie  from 
the  termination  of  his  name.  Two  girls  were  the  result  of  this 
union. 

EmiltI':,  died  unmarried  at  Washington,  in  1880. 

Angei.ique  married  183G,  Jean  IJ.  I'icjuette,  son  of  Jean  Bapte 
and  Kleonore  Descomptes  Labadie.  The  Pi(iuetle  family  was  orig- 
inali}'  from  Picardie,  and  the  name  is  frecjuently  seen  in  the 
"Amorial  General  of  France."  The  first  in  this  country  was  Eus- 
tache, who  married  in  KiSO,  Jeanne  Boucher.  His  son  Joseph 
married  170G,  Marie  Therese  Merienne,  daughter  of  Jean  Meri- 
enne  de  Lasolavye,  who  was  godfather  in  l(58o  for  Marienne, 
daughter  of  M.  de  Brissay,  Manjuis  de  Denonville,  Governor 
of  Canada.  Francois  Eusiachi;.  born  17;54,  married  Charlotte 
Gaudry.  Joseimi,  born  17."):!,  married  1770,  Marguerite  Reiiaud. 
Jean  Bapte  married  1808,  Eleonore  Descomptes  Labadie.  To 
this  family  belongs  the  celebrated  Sulpician  Francois  Picquet, 
■who,  in  order  to  attach  the  L'oquois  confederacy  to  the  French, 
founded  a  mission  at  the  mouth  of  the  Oswegatchie  in  1748.  He 
erected  a  substantial  stone  buililing  and  placed  this  inscription  on 
the  corner  stone.  "Francois  Piequet  laid  the  foundation  of  this 
building  in  the  name  of  the  Almighty  God,  in  1749."  This 
inscribed  corner  stone  occupies  a  conspicuous  jiosition  in  the  State 
Armory,  erected  at  Ogdensburg  in  1808. 


280  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Tlu!  children  of  Jean  and  Au2:elique  Cumpeau  were:  John, 
died  unmarried:  Elise,  married  first  in  1870,  Ormsby  Mitchell, 
U.  S.  A.,  son  of  the  distinguished  astronomer  and  soldier,  Gen. 
Mitchell;  second,  1880,  James  Hoban  of  Washington;  Charles 
married  1876,  Fanny  Ellston  Perlcy,  by  whom  he  had  two  chil- 
dren. He  died  in  Paris,  France,  in  1876;  Emilie  married  1876, 
Francis  Preston  Blair  Sands,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Washington, 
D.  ('.,  son  of  Rear  Admiral  Sands,  U.  S.  N. 

In  1831,  Barnabe  married  a  second  time,  Archange  McDougall, 
daughter  of  Jean  and  Archange  Campeau.  The  McDougalls 
were  a  prominent  famil}'  of  Scottish  origin.  The  first  who  came 
to  Detroit  was  Lieutenant  George  McDougall,  a  British  otflcer 
who  accompanied  Major  Campbell  to  Pontiac's  camp  at  Bloody 
Run,  in  1763  to  attempt  to  negotiate  with  the  wily  chief.  He 
treacherously  kept  them  as  hostages.  Fortunately  Lieutenant 
McDougall  escaped.  He  married  1765,  Francoise  Navarre, 
daughter  of  Robert,  the  Sub-Intendant  and  Royal  Notary,  and 
Marie  Louise  Lothman  de  Barrois.  After  his  death  she  married, 
in  1784  Jacques  Campeau,  father  of  Joseph  and  Barnabe,  by 
whom  she  had  no  children,  but  left  the  following  by  Lieutenant 
George  McDougall:  Jean  R..  born  1766:  George;  John  Robert, 
the  eldest,  married  1786,  Archange  Camjieau,  daughter  of  Simon 
and  Veromique  Bloudeau,  whose  children  were:  George,  born 
1706;  Robert,  born  1789;  Catuerine,  born  1797. 

Archange,  who  married,  1820,  Barnabe  Campeau.  The  Mc- 
Dougalls acquired  considerable  property,  and  among  their  land 
grants  was  Belle  Isle  to  Lieutenant  Geoi-ge  McDougall,  at  the 
same  time  that  Grosse  Isle  was  granted  to  his  brother-in-law, 
Alexander  Macomb. 

Barnabe  had  two  sons  by  his  second  wife:  Barnbe,  Jr.  ;  Alex- 
ander Macomb.  Barnabe,  Jr.,  married  Alexandrine  Sheldon, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Sheldon  and  Eleonore  Descomptes  Labadie. 
Two  sons  were  the  fruit  of  this  union:  Thomas  Sheldon;  Dr. 
Albert  Campeau.  ; 

Alexander  Macomb  married,  1843,  Eliza  Throop  of  New 
York,  a  member  of  that  family  so  well  and  favorably  known  in 
the  political  world.  He  had  a  large  famil,y  who  fully  justified 
the  traditional  beauty  of  the  Navarres;  George  Bliss  married 
Minnie,  daughter  of  Commodore  Woolsey,  U.  S.  N.  He  died 
in  the  flower  of  his  youth,  leaving  four  children;  Alexander  is 
immarried. 

Barnabe  married  Alice,  daughter  of  Admiral  Stephens,  U.  S. 
N. ;  Emilie  married  Lieutenant  Fitch,  U.  S.  N. ;  Montgomery 
died  unmarried;  Frances  married  Frederic  Sibley,  a  rising  law- 
yer and  worthy  scion  of  the  distinguished  name  he  bears;  Mc- 
Dougall married  Miss  Batcheler  of   Pittsburg  and  is  actively 


Kuril/  French  Fainilies.  281 

interested  in  some  of  tlie  new  manufacturini;  interests  which 
has  placed  Detroit  in  the  foremost  ranks  amonj^  manufacturlnij 
cities. 


CHABERT  DE  JONCAIRE. 

This  name  fii^urcs  conspicuously  in  tiie  annals  of  Detroil,  espe- 
cially from  the  time  of  the  Emrlish  coiupiest.  In  France  it  isstill 
found  anions  the  nobility,  in  ihe  navy,  and  on  the  tablets  of  the 
French  Academy.  Thomas  was  a  nol)kMnan,  came  to  Canada  as 
an  olliccr,  havinu'  an  n])titudc  for  iani^uagcs,  lie  soon  mastered  the 
Indian  dialects  and  became  royal  interpreter  for  the  five  nations. 
He  married  at  3Iontrcal,  .Mari^ueritc  LetJuay  of  Kouen.  Their 
son  D.VNiEi-,  born  1714,  was  a  Lieutenant  in  tlie  French  army,  and 
later  succeeded  to  his  father's  position  of  interpreter.  He  married 
in  17.51,  I'rsule  Mariruerite  Eliz.ibeth  de  la  3Ioraudiere,  of  the 
disliixuished  liocbert  family  of  Canada.  He  died  at  Detroit,  in 
1770,  three  years  later  he  was  followed  to  the  irrave  by  his  wife, 
leavinir  several  children,  amonir  whom  W(M"e  :  1.  Louis ;  'I. 
Pnii.ii'PK,  married  17*5.  .luditJi  Gouiii.  dauirhter  of  Claude 
Thom.-is  and  Josette  Cuillcrier  de  Heaubien;  :{.  Axgelique 
jVIaiiruerite.  named  from  her  irodmother  Anj^elique  Cicotte,  wife 
of  Medor  Gamelin.  Philippe  at  the  baptism  of  his  dauij:hter 
Judith,  signs  himself  Chevalier.  Francois  Chabert  de  .Toncaire, 
was  a  nephew  of  Daniel,  son  of  GabriOl,  ("aptain  of  Infantry,  and 
Marguerite  Fleury  de  la  Gorgendiere,  one  of  the  most  aristocratic 
and  powerful  families  of  Canada.  The  Chevalier  was  a  man  of 
great  ability  ;uid  took  an  active  interest  in  promoting  the  growth 
of  the  city  of  Detroit.  He,  with  Solomon  Sibley  and  Jacob  Vis- 
gar,  represented  Wayne  county  in  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the 
North  West  Territory,  held  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1799,  at  which 
Gen(;ral  William  Harrison  was  chosen  delegate  to  Congress.  In 
1780,  the  Chevalier  married  Josette  Ciiesne,  by  whom  he  had 
several  children,  to-day  represented  by  a  branch  of  the  Loranger 
family  of  Detroit  and  Monroe;  M.  C.vthkkink.  born  17s;},  mar- 
ried 1808,  Francois  La  Fontaine:  Francois,  born  1784;  Hosai.ie. 
born  1782.  married  1808,  Joseph  liOranger,  son  of  Claude  and 
Marguerite  ^lonon.Min,  parish  of  St.  Antoine,  t^"^'^'^'^  ;  Hf.mu- 
ETTp;,  married  IBSo,  John  Norton  Hubble,  son  of  Isaac  and 
"Eunice  Hilton  of  New  York;  Philiitk,  married  182G,  There.se 
Campeau,  daughter  of  Alexis  and  Agathe  Chesne. 

CHAPOTON. 


The  numerous  branches  of  this  family  so  well   and  favorably 
known  in  Detroit  all  descended  from  Jean,  son  of   Tendrez  and 


282  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Dearne  Cassaigne,  Cazolle,  Diocese  of  Duges,  Lauguedoc.  He 
was  a  surgeon  iu  the  French  army  with  tiie  rank  of  major,  and 
was  ordered  to  Fort  Pontcliartrain  to  relieve  Forestier,  the  first 
pliysician  who  came  to  tlie  post.  During  fort}^  years  Dr.  Cliapo- 
ton's  elegant  and  stereotype-like  signature  is  aflixed  to  every  death 
notice  in  the  colony.  He  retired  from  the  ai'niy  several  years 
previous  to  the  English  conquest,  and  settled  on  the  land  which 
he  had  received  as  a  grant.  He  died  in  1762.  In  1721,  he  had 
married  Marguerite  Estene  or  Stebre,  by  whom  he  had  twenty 
children,  only  seven  of  whom  arrived  at  maturity: 

1.  Jeanne,  born  1734,  married  17-19,  Paul  de  Meuchcl. 

2.  Marie  Clemencb,  born  1736,  married  1747,  Pierre  Chesue 
de  St.  Onge,  son  of  Charles  and  Catherine  Sauvage. 

3.  Madeleine,  born  1739.  married  1758,  Gabriel  Christophe  Le 
Grand,  surgeon  in  the  French  arm3^  eldest  son  of  Gabriel  Louis 
Le  Grand,  Sieur  de  Sintre,  knight  of  the  royal  and  military  or- 
der of  St.  Louis,  and  of  Anne  Henriette  de  Ci'enay,  parish  of 
Roch,  France. 

4.  Louise  Clotilde,  born  1741,  married  1758,  Jacques  Gode- 
froy  de  Marboeuf.     She  died  in  1762,  leaving  one  child,  Gabriel. 

5.  Charlotte, —Lieut.  Duburon  was  godfather  and  Madame 
De  Noyelle  de  Fleurimont  godmother, — born  1742,  married  1760, 
Pierre  Barthe,  a  brother  of  Charles,  the  ancestor  of  the  family  of 
Askins,  Brushs,  etc.  Her  daughter  Charlotte,  born  1763,  married 
twice:  1st,  in  1780,  Lieut.  Louis  Reaume,  an  Engli.sh  officer;  2d, 
in  1784,  Antoiue  Louis  Dcscomptes  Labadie  (Badichon),  whose 
descendants  are  Mrs.  Willis,  Mrs.  Giesse,  Mrs  Alexander  Chapo- 
ton,  Sr.,  the  Lagraves  of  St.  Louis,  etc. 

6.  JosETTE,  born  1746,  married  1764.  August  Chaboye,  of 
Mackinaw. 

7.  Jean  Baptiste,  born  1721.  He  was  the  one  who  held  a  par- 
ley with  Pontiac  in  1763.  In  1755  he  married  Felice  Cecyre  by 
whom  he  had  a  large  family:  1.  Jean  Baptiste,  Jr.,  born  1758,  mar- 
ried in  1780  Therese  Pelletier.  He  died  in  1836;  2.  Benoit.  bora 
1761,  married  1788,  Therese  Meloche;  3.  Louis  Alexis,  born  1764, 
married  1783,  Catherme  Meloche,  whose  daughter  Catherine  mar- 
ried in  1809  Major  Antoine  De  Qiiindre;  4.  Catherine  Angelique, 
bora  1769;  5.  Josette,  born  1771 ;  6.  Isabelle,  born  1773;  7.  Nicolas, 
born  1776.  Eustache,  born  1792,  sou  of  Jean  Baptiste  and  Therese 
Pelletier,  married  1819  by  Bishop  Flagetof  Bardstown.  Ky. ,  Ade- 
laide Julie  Serat  dit  Coquillart,  daughter  of  Alexis  and  Cecile  Trem- 
blay.  Eustache  died  in  1872.  Many  remember  him;  he  was  an  ex- 
ceptionally handsome  man,  of  a  fine,  stately  presence  and  courtly 
manners.  Through  some  unfortun:ite  accident  his  father  lost  the 
large  property  which  had  been  granted  to  Dr.  Chapoton.  Eus- 
tache by  energy,  industry  and  untiring  perseverance  acquired 
considerable  wealth  which  he  left  to  his  cliiidren,  but  what  they 


KiU'hj  Fi'tuch   iHimHie-s.  283 

prized  more,  .a  iiamt'  syiioiiyinoiis  willi  honor  and  integrity.     Flis 
children  are  all  worthy  n'|ne.senlatives  of  their  sire. 

1.  ALiiX.\NDKU,  married  Feliee  Sedilot  de  Montreuil,  dan.!!;liter 
of  St.  Luc  de  Montreuil  and  Isabelle  Deseomptes  Labadie. 
Several  chihh-en  blessed  this  union,  viz.:  1.  Ai.kx.xndkii,  .Ik., 
married  ]\Iarianne  Pellet  ier,  dauuhter  of  Charles  and  Eliza  ("leotte; 
2.  Elizai!i;th,  married  Ale.\.  Vi;:('r;  :'..  Emimh,  married  Edward 
Bush;  4  JosKiMiiNK.  married  Jiaymond  Baby,  of  that  well 
known  Canadian  family,  and  resides  at  Sarnia,  Canada;  5.  Ed- 
mund, one  of  the  risinii'  surgeons  of  Detroit,  married  1883,  Mar- 
tha Sherland,  of  South  Bend,  Ind. ;  G.   Felice  is  unmarried. 

2.  Benoist,  married  Miss  Bour.  He  died  in  1880  and  left  no 
heirs. 

3.  EusT.\ciiK,  married  Matilda  Campau,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Adelaide  De  Quindre. 

4.  TiiKHESE,  married  Louis  St.  Aubin. 

5.  WiLLi.VM,  married  Sarah  Connor. 

6.  Julie,  married  .lolin  Cicotte. 

7.  Fkhce.  married  Capt.  Paxton. 

8.  Theodore  is  unmarried. 

CHESNE. 

As  early  as  1717  the  name  of  Chesnc  appears  on  the  records  of 
Ste.  Anne's,  and  one  is  attracted  by  the  beautiful  and  picturesijue 
signature.  So  clear,  prc^cise,  full  of  character  and  imlividuality. 
Pieuue,  the  founder  of  the  race  on  the  soil  of  the  New  World, 
married,  in  1670,  at  Montreal,  Jeanne  Bailly.  of  a  family  of  con- 
siderable iniportance.  Two  of  his  sons,  Charles  and  Pierre,  came 
to  Detroit  as  early  as  1717,  and  are  the  ancestors  of  that  name  in 
Michigan.  They  were  active  and  enterprising  and  at  once  took 
leading  positions  in  the  colony.  Cii.viu.ks  married,  in  1722. 
Catherine  Sauvage;  Piekuk  married,  1728,  .Madeleine  lioy,  in 
\7M.  Louise  Lothman  de  Barrois,  a  sister  of  Marie  Lothman, 
wife  of  Robert  Navarre,  tlu;  Sub  Intendant.  Pierre  was  called 
La  Butte,  though  St.  Onge  was  the  (proper  title.  Many  of  his 
descendants  are  only  known  under  the  mime  of  La  Butte,  lie 
Wiis  interpreter  for  a  number  of  years,  and  fulfilled  his  oflice 
most  .satisfactorily,  lie  had  many  children.  All  dii'd  unmarried 
save  PiKUKE  ToussMNT,  who  continued  tiiis  branch.  Pierre, 
Sr.,  died  in  1774.  Agathe  married  Wm.  Sterling.  Ciiaki.es 
ami  Catherine  Sauvage  had  ten  children:  1.  Catherine,  b.  1722, 
married  Pierre  Teslard  de  Fortville,  cousin  of  the  Chevalier 
Testard  de  Montigny;  2.  PrKiiUE,  b.  1724,  married  1747,  Clem- 
eoce  Chapoton,  daughter  of  the  surgeon;  i5.  Agathe,  b.  1727;  4. 
Bonaventure,  b.  17:51;  5.  Charles,  b.  1732,  was  also  an  abb;  in- 
terpreter.    He  married,  1754,  Josette  Deseomptes  Labadie,  daugh- 


284  Letjoids  of  Le  Detroit. 

ter  of  Piorre  and  Anireliquc  de  Lacelle;  6.  Leopold,  b.  1734;  7. 
Isidore,  b.  1737,  married  1758,  Therese  Bequet;  8.  Antoinc,  b. 
1743.  Isidore  was  iioteil  for  his  great  bravery,  and  tigures  con- 
spicuous!}' in  tlie  military  annals.  To  him  was  deeded  a  tract  of 
land  by  the  Pottawatomie  at  the  same  time  as  the  one  to  Kobishe 
Navarre.  The  grant  to  Isidore  was  confirmed  by  Lieut.  Gov. 
Hamilton  in  1777.  He  married  Therese  Bequet.  In  1780  his 
daughter  Josette  married  the  Chevalier  Francois  Chabert  de 
Jpncaire.  Charles,  son  of  Charles  and  Catherine  Sauvage,  mar- 
ried Josette  Descomptes  Labadie  and  was  blessed  with  several 
children,  viz.:  1.  Pierre,  married  1784,  Cecile  Campeau,  daugh- 
ter of  Nicolas  (Niagara);  2.  Cuarles,  b.  1758;  3.  Catherine, 
b.  1763,  married  Fontenay  de  Quindre;  4.  Agatha,  married  1795, 
Alexis  Campeau:  5.  Gabriel,  b.  1772,  married  1793,  Genevieve 
Campeau.  Gabric'l  (dit  Caousa),  son  of  Charles  and  Josette  Laba- 
die, married  Genevieve  Campeau,  daughter  of  Jean  Baptiste  and 
Genevieve  Gode.  Their  chddren  were:  Gabriel,  b.  1796,  mar- 
ried Oct.  23,  1821,  1st  Cecile  Seguin  Laderoute.  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Archange  Campeau,  whose  children  by  this  marriage 
were:  Emilie,  married  Gagnion;  Charles,  married  1st  Eliza 
Parent,  2d,  Catherine  Baby;  Mathew,  married  Agnes  Parent; 
Joseph,  died  in  infancy;  Alexander,  died  in  infancy;  Elizabeth, 
married  Edmund  Baby;  Isidore,  married  Mary  Martin;  Pierre, 
married  Sarah  LeMay;  William,  married  Miss  Bird,  of  New 
York;  Gabriel,  married  a  second  time.  Mile.  Campau,  widow  of 
A.ntoine  Parent.  His  children  by  this  marriage  were:  Marie, 
died  young;  Gabriel,  married  Antoinette  Barien;  Alexander, 
married  Mi.ss  Barien;  Felice;  Rosalie,  married  Mr.  Charest; 
Josette,  sister  of  Gabriel,  married  1819.  Jacque.-?  C'ampeau, 
son  of  Jacques  and  Susanne  Beaubien;  Genevieve,  b.  1800. 

CICOTTE. 


Cicot  or  Chiquot  as  it  was  sometimes  written,  is  found  in  the 
early  pages  of  the  registry  of  Fort  Pouchartrain.  The  founder  of 
this  family  in  America  was  Jean,  born  1631,  son  of  Guillaume 
and  Jeanne  Farfart,  de  Bolu,  Diocese  of  Rocheile.  He  married  at 
Montreal  1662,  Marguerite  Maclin;  the  children  were:  Catiieuine, 
born  1663;  Jean  born  1666.  Catherine  married  16  79,  Joseph  Huct  of 
Boucherville,  who.se  mother  a  Jacquelien,  belonged  to  the  family  of 
the  celebrated  de  la  Rochejacquelien  the  Vendean  chief.  The 
Amblers,  Jacqueliens  and  other  Virginia  families  claim  descent 
from  the  Huguenot  branch  which  passed  into  England,  thence  to 
Virginia. 

Jean  married  1679,  Catherine  Lamourieux;  Zaciiarie  their  son 
born  in  17U8,  married  in  1736  Angelique  Godefroy  de  Marboeuf. 


I'.itflij   J''r<  i,r/(    J-'iiiiilii s.  285 

He  liMil  foiiu;  to  Fiirl  I'oiitcliMrlraiii  in  17;{()  as  a  nicrcliaiil.  The 
quantity  of  in^ndsoinc  plate  possessed  by  this  laniily  lias  Ire- 
quently  been  mentioned;  with  the  exception  of  Miss  St.  Martin, 
(iifterwards  the  wife  of  Annus  ^Mcintosh)  there  was  no  such  conj- 
plete  collection  of  silver  in  the  colony.  The  fate  of  war,  |)illa,tje 
by  the  Indians,  extravaiianl  livinir  and  reckless  trust  in  the  Iionor 
of  otlu'rs,  sofiu  scattered  this  superb  !>ro|)erty.  Some  few  icm- 
nants  are  still  in  the  jjossession  of  the  descendants.  Zach;irie's 
cliildreii  were:  1.  Aiii;eli(iuc,  born  1711;  2.  Catherine,  born  1744; 
8.  Zacharie.  boin  174(i;  4.  Jean  Bapliste,  born  174i».  married  1770, 
Ani,^elique  Pou|)arl  Lavoisc,  wliosc  inarria.ffe  contract  is  i,dvt'n 
below;  it  is  dated  1770.  By  the  Treaty  of  Paris  the  French  in- 
habitants ])rtserved  some  of  their  privileges,  riirhts  .uid  ancient 
customs.      It  is  .selou  les  "  C'ontumes  de  Paris." 

Jii.VN  B.VTTK  had  fifteen  children,  thirteen  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity.  They  resich-d  upon  the  Cicotte  farm,  the  present  Peter 
Godefroy  farm,  which  was  confirmed  to  Augelique  (Mcotte  (Jean 
Bapte's  widow)  by  the  U.  S.  Commissioners  in  iyi9.  The  chil- 
dren were: 

Anffelitpie,  born  1771,  married  1787.  ]Medor  Gamelin.  son  of 
Ijrnace  and  Louise  Dufros  de  la  Jemerais.  nephew  of  Madame 
D'Youville,  foundress  of  Les  Soeurs  Gri.ses  (Grey  Nuns),  of  ]\Ion- 
treal,  whose  life  has  been  so  chariuiuirly  written  b_y  L'Abbe  Faillon. 

A(}.\Tiri'..  born  1773,  married  1790,  Jacob  Vis!j,ar.  one  of  the 
representatives  with  Solomon  Sililcy,  and  the  Chevalier  Chabert 
de  Joncaire  in  the  Leuisliitive  assembly  at  Cincinnati  in  17!>!(.  to 
elect  Gen.  (afterwards  president)  Harrison,  u  delei^ate  to  Con;,ness. 
The  children  were:  Joseph,  married  Mile.  Godefroy,  daughter  of 
Col.  Gabril'l  Godefroy;  Catherine,  married  1819,  WiitTTMOuK 
Kn.\ggs,  son  of  AVilliam  and  Josctte  Descomptes  Labadie,  a 
name  well  known  in  the  history  of  Michigan;  C.\tiiic){ink  mar- 
ried 1797.  Antoine  O'Neale,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Sus.\nnk.  married 
Jaccpies  Peltier;  Fr.vncois  X.,  born  1787,  luarried  1819.  Felice 
Peltier,  widow  of  Capt.  P.  Tallman,  U.  S.  A.;  Lot  is  married 
1815,  Veronique  Cuillcrier  de  IJeaubien;  Geougi!;,  born  179(5;  Ji;  \n 
IJ.vi'Ti:.  Jean  Bapte  de  Celeron  was  his  godfather;  he  died 
unmarried;  Tiikri:se,  born  1790,  married  1808,  Barnabe  Cam- 
l)eau;  M.xui.WNE.  born  1791.  married  1809,  Charles  Descomptes 
Labadie,  son  of  Alexis  and  .Marie  Fraucoise  Robert;  Zaciiahie, 
•born  1775;  JosKfir.  married  1825,  Susanne  Drouillard. 

Francois  X.,  born  1787,  married  1819,  Felice  Pelctier,  the 
widow  of  Capt.  Peter  Tallman,  an  artillery  officer  in  the  IT.  S.  A. 
Fraiurois  was  commissioned  as  a  cajitain  by  (ien.  Hull  in  1S12. 
His  small  company,  mostly  compo.sed  of  men  inured  to  the  toils, 
dangers  and  privations  of  frontier  life,  were  noted  for  their  disci- 
pline and  undaunted  bravery.  After  the  defeat  of  Winchester  at 
Monroe,  an  Indian  chief  brou;i:ht  a  Dr.  Brown,  a  KentucUiaii,  to 


280  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Mr.  Fniucois  Cicottc  to  sell  us  his  prize.  The  Indian  wanted  $100 
for  the  ransoni  of  his  captive,  which  was  paid  to  hiui.  Dr. 
Brown  afterwards  visited  his  deliverer  when  he  came  a<iain  to 
Detroit  with  Gen.  Harrison's  army.  Francois  died  in  1860.  He 
was  a  line  specimen  of  the  early  Frenchman,  possessing  that  rare 
charm  of  manner  which  seemed  a  peculiar  legacy  to  these  descend- 
ants of  the  first  pioneers.   His  children  are  well  known  in  Detroit. 

1.  Edward,  for  many  years  occupying  many  positions  of  pub- 
lic trust,  married  1st,  Miss  Bell  of  New  York,  by  whom  he  had. 
one  son,  George;  married  second  time  Lucretia  Abbott,  daughter 
of  Kobert  and  Elizabeth  Audrian. 

2.  Francois  X.,  married  1st,  Victoire  Beaubien,  daughter  of 
Lambert  and  Genevieve  Campau,  by  whom  he  had  two  daugh- 
ters: Victoire  married  Mr.  Bagg;  Philis  married  Mr.  Rankin; 
both  reside  in  Detroit.  He  married  a  second  time  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  the  Patriot,  Theller,  by  whom  he  had  three  girls  and 
a  son.  The  son,  Francois,  resides  in  California,  with  one  of  his 
sisters,  Mi-s.  Wm.  B.  Hunt;  Emma  and  Annie  married  two  broth- 
ers and  reside  at  Detroit. 

3.  SusANNE  married  1831,  Charles  Beaubien,  son  of  Lambert 
and  Genevieve  Campau.  Four  girls  and  one  son  were  the  fruit 
of  this  imion.     4.  Eliza  Van  Meter  married  Chas.  Peltier,  son  of 

Chas.  ;  5.  Catherine  married  Dr.  Allen  of  New  York;  6. 

John  married  Julie  Chapoton,  daughter  of  Eustache.  He  left  one 
son  and  one  daughter:  Madeleine;  Askin  married  Mr.  Lawson. 

Marriage  contract  between  J.  B.  Cicotte  and  Angelique  Poupart: 

July  27,  1770. 

Before  Philip  De  Jean,  Royal  Notary,  by  act  of  law  residing  at 
Detroit,  were  present  Monsieur  Jean  Baptiste  Cicotte,  merchant, 
eldest  son  of  Zacharie  Cicotte,  also  merchant,  and  Madame  Ange- 
lique Godefroy  de  Marboeuf,  his  father  and  mother,  natives  of 
Detroit  of  the  one  part;  the  Sieur  Joseph  Poupart  La  Fleur,  also 
merchant,  and  the  Dame  Agathe  Reaume  residing  at  the  same 
place,  stipulating  for  the  Demoiselle  Angelique  Poupart,  their 
daughter  accepting  and  of  her  own  consent  for  herself  and  in  her 
name  of  the  other  part.  The  said  parties  in  his  presence  and  by 
the  advice  and  councils  of  the  Sieurs  and  ladies,  their  parents 
having  assembled  their  friends  as  follows:  on  the  part  of  the  Sieur 
Jean  Baptiste  Cicotte,  the  Sieur  Zacharie  Cicotte  and  the  Dame 
Angelique  Godefroy,  his  father  and  mother,  Pierre  Chesne  de  la 
Butte,  Jean  B.  Chapoton,  Jacques  Godefroy  de  Marboeuf,  his 
uncles;  Medor  Gamelin,  his  brother-in-law,  Ignace  Boyer  and 
Jaccjues  GabriOl,  his  cousins;  the  dame  widow  Trotier  des  Ruis- 
seaux,  his  aunt;  Chas.  Rivard,  Antoine  Gamelin,  Alexis  Maison- 
ville  and  Joseph  Lamoureaux;  also  on  the  part  of  the  Demoiselle 
Angelique  Poupart  La  Fleur,  the  Sieur  Joseph  Poupart  and  the 


Kuril/   Fi'tnch    Fdin'ilieis.  287 

Dame  Apil lie  Keaumc,  her  fatlicr  and  mollicr,  Lieut.  Gov.  John. 
Hay.  her  uncle,  Jean  PoiTpait,   her  Lnand father  Nicolas  de  La- 
celle,  Ilyacinthe  Heaunic.  lier-great  uncle.'<;  (has.  Heauine,  Pierre 
Barron."  Pierre  DcNConiples,   Labadie  Haptisle.  Josejjh    lieaunie, 
her  uncles;    Dupcron    Uahy,  her    cousin.      ]MadanuN    Hay  and 
Barron,  lier  aunts,  and   Ihc  Sieur  Dr.  George  Anthon.  .Madame 
Baby,   their  relatives   and    friends,  have  made    convention    and 
agreement  of  marriage  as  follows:   "That  the  Sieur  Jos.  Poupart 
and  Madame  Keaumc  have  promised,  and  do  promise  to  give  the 
said  Angelique  Poupart,  their  daugliter.  to  the  said  Jean  Baptiste 
Cicotte,  who  promises  to  take  her  as  his  future  and  legitimate 
spouse  by  law  of  marriage  and  to  have  the  same  solemnized  in  the 
face  of  our  holy  Mother  Church,  and  this  as  soon  as  can  be  done 
or  wlicnever  one  of  the  two  parties  .shall  demand  of  the  other. 
They  shall  be  the  future  espoused  couple,  one  and  common  in  their 
goocls,  movable  and  inunovable,  and  their  acquisitions  according 
to  the  usages  and  customs  of  Paris  (Coutume  de  Pari.>^),  in  express 
derogation  of  all  other  laws  and  customs,  contravening  appropri- 
ating to  themselves  the  .said  Sieur  and  Demoiselle,  future  husband 
and  wife  jointly  and  severally  the  goods  and  dues  to  them  apper- 
taining, whatever  they  may  consist  of  without  there  being  any 
necessity  of  making  a  designation.    The  future  husband  has  given 
and  doe's  give  to  the  said  Demoiselle  his  future  spouse  the  sum  of 
three  thousand  "  Livres  Tours"  to  be  paid  in  one  stated  jiayment. 
to  have  and  to  take  so  soon  as  the  dower  shall  become  a  lien  upon 
all  the  goods  of  the  future  husband,  which  are  hereby  hypothe- 
cated to  furnish  and  make  available  the  said  dower  which  the 
said  future  spouse  shall  enjoy  and  become  .seized  of  without  being 
held  to  make  a  demand  in 'her  own  right  in  a  court  of  justice. 
The  aforesaid  dower  shall  belong  to  the  children  who  shall  be  born 
of  the  said  marriage,  and  in  default  of  children,  in  her  own  right 
to  the  future  wife.    Arriving  at  the  dissolution  of  the  said  marriage 
by  the  decease  of  the  aforesaid  future  husband,  the  .said  Demoi- 
selle future  wife  shall  have  and  shall  take  for  the  marriage  2000 
"  Livres  Tours."     To  her  it  shall  be  lawful  and  to  her  children  if 
there  are  any,  and  in  default  of  children  to  the  ne.xt  heir  to  ac- 
cept or  refuse  a  comm\uiity  of  goods  and  in  the  latter  case  the  said 
Demoiselle,  future  wife  will  lake  all  that   she  brought    to   said 
marriage;  licr  wardrobe  and  jewels,  her  furnished  apartments  as 
well  as  any  goods  that  have  fallen  to  her  by  inheritance.     And  in 
consideration  of  the  sincere  alfect ion  which  the  future  husband 
and  wife  bear  each  other,  they  have  made  and  do  make  by  these 
presents  to  the  survivor  two  free  gifts  equal,  mutual  and  lecipro- 
cal  of  all  their  goods,  furniture,  accjuits,  gains  movable  and  im- 
movable which  shall  be  found  to  belong  and  appertain  to  the  one 
first  deceased  to  enjoy  at  such  decease  all  such  sums  and  quantities 
as  said  goods  may  amount  to,  or  consist  of  and  wheresoever  they 


288  '  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

may  be  situated.  And  for  making  a  registry  of  these  presents  at 
tlie  clerk's  office  of  the  aforesaid  City  of  Detroit,  and  wherever 
else  there  may  be  any  need,  tlie  said  parties  have  appointed  their 
Attorney  General  and  special,  the  bearer  of  these  seals  giving  him 
full  power,  thereby  relinquishing,  promising  and  agreeing  the 
things  done  at  Detroit  in  the  house  of  Sieur  Jos.  Poupart,  situated 
in  the  Fort  on  the  7th  day  of  June  after  mid-day,  the  said  future 
husband  and  wife  after  reading  the  same  have  signed  with  us  as 
follows,  their  relatives  and  friends: 

(Signed)  Jean  Bapte  Cicote. 

Angelique  Poupard. 

Haycinthe  Reaume. 

Pierre  Des  Comptes  Labadie. 

Pr.  Barron. 

DuPERON  Baby 

Antoine  Gamelin. 

Charles  Reaume. 

John  Hay. 

Bapte  Chapoton. 

Geo.  Anthon. 

Medor  Gamelin. 

Joseph  Lamoureux. 

Jacques  Godefroy. 

{Signed)  DE  JEAN, 

Notary. 

With  regard  to  the  division  of  property  in  general  according  to 
the  civil  law  of  Canada,  it  consisted  of  movable  and  immovable 
property. 

Movable  was  anything  that  could  be  moved  w^ithout  fraction. 

Immovable  was  anything  that  could  not  be  moved,  and  was 
divided  into  two  kinds,  propres  (personal),  and  acquitis  (acquired). 
Propres  (personal),  is  an  estate  inherited  b}'  succession  in  the  direct 
or  collateral  line,  and  Acquit  is  an  estate  or  property  that  is  ac- 
quired by  any  other  means. 

Community  of  Property,  was  the  partnership  of  husband  and 
wife  contract  on  marrying;  but  they  could  stipulate  in  their  mar- 
riage contract  that  there  should  be  no  community  of  property  be- 
tween them. 

The  dot  or  dowry  was  all  the  propertj^  which  the  wife  put  into 
the  community  whether  movable  or  immovable.  But  immovable 
propertj'  falling  to  her  in  a  direct  or  collateral  line  is  a  proper  or 
personal  estate  to  her;  and  does  not  fall  into  the  community.  The 
dower  was  a  certain  right  given  bj"  law  or  by  particular  agreement 
to  the  wife;  it  was  of  two  kinds,  the  customary  Dower,  and  the 
stipulated  Dower.  The  former  consisted  of  half  the  property  which 
the  husband  was  possessed  of  at  tlie  time  of  their  marriage  and 


I'mHij  Frewh  Famllien.  289" 

half  of  all  the  i)r()i)crty  which  mii^ht  come  to  him  in  a  direct  lino. 
The  stipiilatcil  dower  was  a  certain  sum  of  money  or  portion  of 
l)ro])erly,  instead  of  the  customary  dower  during  her  lifetime;  at 
lier  death  it  fell  to  her  children  who  did  not  accept  the  succession 
of  their  father,  but  lier  heirs  succee(l  to  the  stipulated  dower. 
Hence  by  the  eonniuinity  which  existed  in  niarriaire.  no  man  coiUd 
dispose  of  any  or  i)art  of  his  property  witiiout  the  con.senl  of  his 
wife. 

CUILLERIER  DE  BEAUBIEN. 


This  family  still  stands  among  the  most  distinguished  in  Canada. 
It  is  known  under  the  names  of  Troticr  de  Beaubien,  des  Hivieres 
Trotier  des  Kuisseau.x,  Ila}'  de  Montigny.  Tlie  branch  which 
settled  in  Detroit  was  formerly  called  C'uillcrier.  In  large  fami- 
lies it  was  then  often  a  custom  to  add  the  mother's  family  name  to 
distinguish  the  difTerent  l)ranches,  viz. :  Des  Kivieres  de  la  Morand- 
iere — Cuillerier  de  Beaubien. 

Keiie  (uillerier,  son  of  Julien  and  Julienne  Fairfeu  de  Clermont, 
near  La  Fleche,  came  to  ^lontreal,  married  there  ]\Iarie  Lecault 
in  1()G5.  Their  eldest  son,  Kene,  born  in  KiOS.  was  sent  to  France 
to  be  educated  but  was  lost  at  sea  returning  to  Canada.  Jean,  l)ora 
in  1(570,  married  in  169(5,  Catherine  Trotier  de  Beaubien,  from 
Avhom  the  Beaubiens  of  Michigan  descend.  Jean  died  in  1708, 
and  Catherine  married  in  1712,  Picole  de  Bellestre,  and  accompa- 
nied him  to  his  post  at  Fort  Pontehartrain.  He  was  ensign  in  the 
French  army,  brother-in-law  of  de  Tonty  and  de  Celeron,  former 
commandants  of  Fort  Pontehartrain.  He  died  there  in  1729, 
leaving  one  son,  Francois  ]\Iarie  Piquote  de  Bellestre,  the  last 
French  commander  of  that  fort.  By  the  tinst  husband,  Jean  Cuil- 
lerier, Catherine  had  two  .sons:  1.  Jean  Baptiste  dit  Ik-aubien, 
born  1709,  married  in  1742  at  Detroit,  Marianne  Lothman  de  Bar- 
rois. 

2.  Antoine,  born  1697,  married  in  1722  Anu;elique  Gerard. 
Jean  Baptiste  married  in  1742  Marianne  Lothman  de  Barrois,  bv 
whom  he  had  the  following  children:  1.  Catherine,  born  174;J: 
2.  Jean  ]\[arie,  born  174.'),  married  Claire  (Joiiin,  his  son  Anto- 
ine married  in  1829  3Ioni(pie  DesComptcs  Labadie,  daughter 
of  Pierre  and  Therese  Gaillard.  Antoine  ha<l  no  children  and 
left  a  i)ortion  of  his  estate  (known  as  the  Atitoine  IJeaubien  farm) 
to  charitable  purposes.  The  present  site  of  the  Sacred  Heart  Con- 
vent in  Detroit  was  their  residence.  Pierre,  Jean  Marie's  .son, 
married  in  1824  Catherine  Edesse  Dequindre.  daughter  of  Antoine 
and  Catherine  Des  Rivieres  de  la  Morandiere.  who.se  daughter 
Lydia  married  Jo.seph  Lewis. 

Antoine  married  Angelique  de  Lacelle  in  1722,  who.se  children 
19 


290  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

were  as  follows:  1.  Mariaane  married  in  1750  Pierre  Chesne  La 
Butte;  3.  Alexis,  born  1733.  He  was  implicated  in  1769  in  the 
murder  of  Fisher's  child,  ))ut  was  honorably  acquitted.  He  was 
called  Cuillerier  dit  Bcaubien  (the  descendants  have  dropped  the 
former  name  and  retain  the  latter);  3.  Angelique,  born  1735,  mar- 
ried in  1760  James  Sterling;  4.  Antoine  married  in  1784  Catherine 
Barrois,  widow  of  Pierre  St.  Cosme.  Their  son,  Jean  Baptiste, 
born  1789,  settled  in  Chicago  and  was  known  as  Col.  Beaubien, 
married  Josette  Laframboise.  Medard  and  Marc,  two  of  Antoine's 
sons,  went  to  Kansas,  where  their  descendants  reside;  5.  Lambert 
married  in  1788  Genevieve  Canipeau,  whose  son  Lambert  mar- 
ried in  1831  Felice  Morand,  daughter  of  Louis  and  Catherine 
Campeau.     Charles  married  in  1831  Susanne  Cicotte. 

DEMERSAC. 


Jacob  L'Oramesprou  de  Mersac  was  one  of  the  officers  who  ac- 
companied Cadillac  to  Detroit  in  1701.  He  died  there  in  1747 
leaving  several  children  by  his  wife  TherSse  David.  The  family 
had  several  titles,  Marcas  de  L'Obtrou,  de  Lommesprou,  and  Des- 
rochers.  Jacques,  born  1704,  died  young;  Jacques,  born  1707; 
Francois,  married  1734,  Therese  Campeau  by  whom  he  had,  1. 
Francois,  born  1736,  married  1767,  Charlotte  Bourassa;  3.  Therfise, 
married  Louis  Beaufait;  3.  Jean  Bapte,  born  1740,  married  1773, 
Genevieve  Seguin  Laderoute;  4.  Marie  Louise,  born  1744,  mar- 
ried 1763,  Robert  ]!^avarre,  Jr. 

Francois  de  Mersac,  married  1767,  Chai'lotte  Bourassa,  who  was 
allied  to  the  families  Le  Ber,  Testard  de  Montigny,  De  Lan- 
glade, Gregnon,  &c.  Their  children  were:  1.  Cecile,  married 
1776,  Vatal  Sarazin  de  Pelleteau;  3.  Francois,  born  1769;  3.  Jac- 
ques, born  1773;  4.  Robert,  born  1774;  5.  Antoine,  born  1776;  6. 
Rene,  born  1777,  married  1806,  Eulalie  Gouin;  his  daughter 
Sophie,  married  Louis  Campeau  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

Jean  Bapte  (Benjamin),  married  1773,  Genevieve  Seguin  Lade- 
route; the  children  were:  Archange,  born  1774;  Rose,  born  1776; 
Genevieve,  born  1777,  married  1797,  Henri  Campau;  Charlotte, 
born  1779. 

It  is  a  tradition  in  the  DeMersac  family,  that  its  founder  at  De- 
troit, Jacob,  after  he  had  resigned  his  position  of  officer  in  the 
French  army,  cultivated  the  laud  granted  him;  it  was  no  un- 
usual sight  to  see  him  ploughing  with  his  sword  at  his  side. 

DE  aUINDEE. 


This  family  is  known  under  the  titles  of  De  Pecanier,  Pont- 
chartram,  Fontenoy,  de  La  Saussaye.     "Daigneaux  Douville,"  a 


Eurhj  French  Families.  21)  1 

gallant  officer,  stationed  at  Fort  Pontchartraiii  as  early  as  17;50, 
received  for  liis  distiniiuislied  services  a  s^raiit  of  land  on  Lake; 
Champlain.  Dai^ncaux  Douvillc  is  tlie  family  name  of  tlic  1)(; 
Quindre,  and  is  borne  today  by  liie  Alan|iiis  I);iiLrniaii\  Douvillc 
in  France.  Louis  C'ezar  l)aii,nieau\-  Douvillc  De  Quindre,  CU)1. 
of  Militia  under  French  rule,  settled  about  174."i,  at  Detroit.  He 
had  married  Louise  Catherine  Piquotc  de  Hcllestre.  a  sister  of  the 
Commandant  of   that  name.     He  generally  sii^ns  his  name  FoN- 

TENOY. 

Francois,  his  eldest  son,  was  Sieur  de  Pecanier.  an  ollicer  in 
the  l^ritish  army,  married  1779,  Therese  Eoye,  daugiiter  of 
Ignacc  and  Anirclique  de  (-'ardonet.  The  children  -were:  Fuan- 
COIS,  born  17S0.  married  1,S2',',  .Marie  Kenee  Petit;  Antoine, 
born  1782;  Louis,  born  17S(;;  Therese,  born  1787;  Pierre. 

Antoine  was  called  De  Pontcbartrain,  on  account,  it  is  said,  of 
being  the  first  child  of  European  parents  born  within  the  walls 
of  the  French  fort,  lie  married  Catherine  Des  Rivieres  de  la 
jVrorandiere,  of  a  celebrated  and  illu.strious  family.  The  children 
were:  1. Catherine. b.  178'3;3.  Antoine,  b.  1784;  ;i  Catherine  Fdcsse, 
born  1797,  married  1824,  Pierre  Beaubien.  A  daughter  by  thi.s 
marriage  married  Joseph  Lewis  ;  4.  Adelaide,  born  1788,  Philip 
Chabert  de  Joncaire  and  Claire  Gouin  were  her  godparents.  She 
married  1808,  Joseiih  Campau;  5.  Loris,  born  1790.  married 
3Iarie  Desno^'crs.  The  children  Avere:  Henry,  who  died  without 
leaving  heirs,  and  Annie,  who  married  Edward  Lansing;  (i.  Ti.m- 
OTiiY  married  Jeanette  Gode->Larentette,  daughter  of  Dominique 
and  Archange  Louise  Navarre.  The  children  were  :  Sara,  mar- 
ried Columbus  Godfroy,  of  Monroe,  Mich.,  son  of  Jacques  and 
Victoire  Xavarre  ;  Elizabeth,  married  Oliver  Edwards,  son  of 
Major  Edwards,  U.  S.  A.;  Emilie,  married  Chas.  Hayes,  of  Kal- 
amazoo. ]\Iich. ;  7.  Julie,  born  1799,  married  Judge  Chas.  Moran. 

Antoine,  born  1784,  generally  called  Col.,  .served  with  great 
distinction  at  the  battle  of  Monguagon,  in  1812,  and  received  the 
tlianks  of  the  Legislature  for  his  gallantry.  He  was  ollered  the 
rank  of  Major  in  the  U.  S.  army,  but  declined.  He  Avas  a  prom- 
inent merchant,  and  noted  for  the  grace  and  courtliness  of  his 
manner.  He  married,  in  1809,  Cath.  Chai)Oton,  daughter  of 
Louis  Alexis,  by  whom  he  had  several  children. 

DESCOMPTES  LABADIE. 


This  name  is  among  the  most  consjiicuous  in  the  early  days  of  the 
colony ;  and  the  numerous  descendants  to-day  are  scattered 
throughout  Canada  and  every  part  of  the  United  States,  many  of 
them  proudly  preserving  Iheir  rank  and  jirominence. 

Francois,  son  of  Francois  and  Marie  Renoult  de  St.  Leger, 


292  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 


Diocese  of  Xaintes,  France,  born  1644,  married  in  C'anada  im 
1671,  Jeanne  Hebert,  a  name  well  known  in  Canada.  There  was 
a  title  of  LeComplc  in  the  Ileljcrt  branch  from  whence  perhaps- 
comes  the  Descomptes  in  the  Labadie.  Their  cliildren  were: 
Jeanne,  born  1674,  married  Nicolas  Sylvester  ;  Ciiaklotte, 
married  Jean  Borneau  ;  Fkancoise,  married  1723,  Marguerite 
Cotty  ;  Lewis  Jos.,  married  Gabrielle  LaKoche  ;  Piekre, 
married,  1725,  Louise  Gervais  ;  Jacques  was  Major  in  the 
French  army  and  died  at  Three  Kivers  in  1707. 

In  1732  the  name  was  borne  in  France  by  Alexandre  Etienne 
Ravielt,  Claude  Labadie,  Colonel  of  an  Infantry  regiment, 
Chevalier,  Seigneur  de  la  Chausseliere.  He  was  the  son  of 
Francois.  A  son  of  Alexandre  was  Francois  Patrice  Alexandre 
Vincent  Ravielt  de  Labadie,  Captain  in  the  navy.  He  was  born 
at  Rochelle,  1732.  Piekke,  born  1702,  son  of  Jean  Bapte  of  the 
Diocese  of  LaRochelle,  came  to  Quebec  and  married  there  in 
1727,  Angelique  de  Lacelle, daughter  of  Jacques  de  Lacelle.Savigny 
Sur-Oise,  Diocese  of  Paris  and  Angelitiue  Gibaut  of  Poitiers 
about  1747.  He  came  to  Detroit  and  immediately  took  a  fore- 
most rank  in  the  affairs  of  the  colony.  His  children  were  : 
1.  Antoine  Louis,  born  1744,  married,  1759,  Angelique  Campeau. 
In  1784,  he  married  a  second  time,  Charlotte  Barthe,  widow  of 
Lieutenant  Louis  Reaume,  of  the  British  army  ;  2.  Alexis,  born 
1746,  married  1769,  Francoise  Robert  ;  3.  Josette,  married  1755, 
Charles  Chesne,  the  Interpreter;  4.  Marguerite,  married,  1760, 
Claude  Solo  ;  5.  Pierre,  born  1742,  married  Therese  Gaillard 
Livernois. 

Elizabeth,  born  1749,  married  1766,  Jose]:)li  Lupien  Barron. 
On  the  twenty-sixth  of  February,  1759,  Antoine  Louis,  (called 
Badichon  by  the  Indians)  married  Angelique,  daughter  of 
Nicolas  Campeau  ( Niagara ),  in  the  presence  of  Piei're  Des 
Comptes  Labadie,  Hyacinthe  Reaume,  Claude  Campeau,  Chai'les 
Chesne,  Jean  Gaultier,  Pierre  Testard  de  Fortville,  Robert 
Navarre,  f)ub-Intendant,  Pierre  de  St.  Cosme.  Simple  Boquet, 
Missionary  Recollet.  By  this  marriage  he  had  three  children  ;. 
Antoine,  (Didine)  married  Chesne  La  Butte;  Angelique, 
married  Seguin  Laderoute. 

Catisiie,  married  J.  Peltier.  In  1784,  Louis,  (Badichon) 
married  Charlotte  Barthe,  daughter  of  Pierre  and  Charlotte 
Chapoton,  widow  of  Lieutenant  Louis  Reaume,  of  the  British 
array.  Their  children  were  :  1.  Cecile,  married,  1803,  Angustin 
Lagrave,  son  of  Antoine  and  Therese  Duberger,  dit  Sans 
Chargrin.  Her  descendants  reside  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and 
intermarried  into  all  the  old  French  families  of  that  city.  2. 
Felice,  married  John  Hale,  one  of  her  daughters,  Antoinette, 
married  Jos.  Langly,  of  New  York  ;  the  other,  Lizzie,  married 
William  Driggs.     Her  son,  William  Driggs,  is  an  officer  in  the- 


harhj  Frenelt  Fumilies.  293 

IT.  S.  A. :  :i  IsAi5Ki-i,K,  married  St.  Luc  Sedillot  de  Montrcuil. 
"One  of  licr  diiuirlitcrs.  Fi-lice,  resides  in  Detroit,  is  tlie  wife  of 
A1(!X.  Ciiiipoton,  Sr.  A  snii,  Luc,  ni.nried  Marie  Hoberj;;(>,  wlio  i.s 
known  as  tli(!  "  Sister  of  .Merey  "  of  \\'ali<erviile,  on  aceoiint  of 
her  unselfish  devotion  and  e!iarilal)le  deeds  ;  4.  EriMiuosiNK, 
married  Petrilnone  ;  5.  M.\K(iiiKurn;,  jiiarried  1H2!),  Elias  John 
■Swan,  of  Albany,  N.  V.,  son  of  Eiias  and  Elizabeth  Palmer. 

G.  Eleonor<',  inarried,  first  .1.  ]{eid,  seeond  in  1S(I(».  .lean  Bapte 
Pitjuette,  son  of  Jean  I?a])te  and  Francoise  Arehevetiue  de 
Rouen,  by  wlioni  she  had  two  sons,  Jean  iJapte  and  ("liarles  ; 
tliird,  in  IS^o,  Tliomas  Sheldon  ;  by  this  niarriaLce  she  had  three 
■cliildren  :  Thomas,  married  Winnie  Clark,  niece  of  Governor 
Fenton,  of  >!iehi<i;an;  liosi;,  married  Henry  Geisse,  of  a  distin- 
sruishecl  Pliiladeli)hia  family.  Her  danirhter  Nkli,y,  married 
brville  Allen  and  resides  at  i)etroi(.  One  of  tiie  sons,  Thomas, 
pos.sesses  a  superb  voice.  ]SIusic  .seems  to  have  Iteen  a  jieeuliar 
legacy  which  the  I)es('omi)tes  Labadies  iiave  left  to  their 
•desce'n(hints  ;  Ai.kxandkkink  Macomk.  married  first.  Harnabe 
Campeau.  son  of  liarnabe  (  l/.Vbbe  )  and  .Vrehanii-i'  ]\Icl)ou.ij:all.  l)y 
whom  she  had  three  children  :  Ciiaulotti;,  died  in  infancy  ; 
Thomas  Siii';i, DON  ;  Alhekt,  who  i.s  a  i)hysician  at  Delmji.  She 
married  the  second  time,  Richard  Storrs  Willis. 

SIXOND    IJUANCir. 

Alexis,  (]>adi)  married  ]\Iaric  Francoise  Robert,  dauLihler  of 
Antoineand  Marie  Louise  Beconon,  of  Amiens.  France,  in  jiresence 
■of  Le  Chevalier  Chal)ert  de  Joncaire,  ])e  Laeelle,  Jacques 
Duperon  Baby,  C.  I^e  Blont.  Nicolas  de  LaCelle,  Charles  Chesne, 
Louis  Nicolas"  I)esComples  Labadie,  Si.mi'lk  BoqiicT,  Missionary 
R(,'collet.  The  children  of  this  imion  were  :  Makik  Fkancoisk, 
■born  1774,  married  1705.  Isidore  Navarre;  ]\L\UGi:i:inTi':.  born  1773, 
married  Etienne  Dubois  ;  Chahlks,  married  ISO!),  Marianne 
C'icolte  ;  .MoNUirK  married  1S1:{,  Francois  Cadot  ;  Eli/.aukth, 
married  IHOH,  Charles  Gouin  ;  Louisk  Adki.aidk,  married  Hya- 
■<Mnthe  Saliolte;  Akchanok  born  1787:  Pikkkk  marrii-d  iy(»l>, 
IVLarie  Barron;  Alkxis  married,  IMll,  Anne  liourireois  ;  .second, 
1828,  Isabelle  Rousseau  ;  Ckcii,k  married,  1802,  Pierre  LeDuc, 

THIHI)    imANCir. 

Pii.uiuc,  brother  of  Alexi.s,  (Badi  )  and  Louis,  (Badichon) 
married  Then'^se  Gaillard.  of  a  most  dislinsiuished  family  of 
Quebec.  Their  children  were  :  1.  Pi kkim:,  married  1S12.  Eli/.a- 
hctli  Bh'nvenu  Delisle  ;  2.  Em/ahkth,  married  1820.  Jean  Bai)le 
Beseau  ;  3.  MoNKit'K,  married  1S29.  Antoine  ]?eaubien,  son  of 
Antoine  and  Catherine  Lothman  de  Barrt'is  ;  4.  Jo.sctte,  luar- 
ried  William  Kna,<,'t;s  ;  5.  .^L\uoul•.I{^n•;,  married  Judtre  James 
Mav,  one  of  the  earliest  Justices  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan.   He 


204  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

had  previously  married  Adele  de  St.  Cosme.  The  only  child 
by  tliis  marriage,  Elizabeth  Anne  married  Gabrit'l  Godfrey^ 
Jr.,    son   of  Col.  Gabriel  and  Angelique  de  Couture. 

By  Marguerite  Judge  May  liad  many  children:  1.  Makie 
married  Louis  Moi-an  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  Some  of  her  de- 
scendants still  reside  there. 

Marguerite  Anne  married  Col.  Edward  Brooks,  U.  S.  A.  Her 
children  were  mostly  girls  and  proverbial  for  their  beauty, 
brightness  of  intellect  and  superb  musical  talent.  1.  Mar- 
C4ATIET  ;  Anne  Brooks,  married  Charles  AV.  Whipple,  son  of 
Captain  Whipple,  U.  S,  A.,  and  Archange  Pellctier.  He  was  a 
very  able  lawyer  and  held  the  office  of  Chief  Justice  of  Michigan. 
She  died  at  the  early  age  of  thirty,  leaving  two  daughters. 
Eunice,  wife  of  Judge  William  Jennison,  of  Detroit,  Adeline, 
widow  of   Mr.  Johnson  ;    3.  Adeline,   died   unmarried. 

4.  Rebecca  married  Dr.  J.  B.  Scovile,  a  most  able  and  prominent 
phj'sician  of  Detroit.  Two  children  were  the  fruits  of  this  union :  1. 
Edward  Brooks,  whose  wonderful  voice  has  won  him  a  national 
reputation,  married  iNIarcia  Roosevelt,  daughter  of  Judge  Roose- 
velt of  New  York  ;  2.  May,  married  Richard  Cornell  of  Buffalo,. 
N.  Y.,  and  is  known  as  May  Fielding  to  the  liistronic  and  musi- 
cal world. 

4.  OcTAViA,  married  J.  C.  W.  Seymour.  Three  children  of 
this  marriage  are  still  living  :  William  ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Lieutenant  Waterbury,  U.  S.  A. ;  Marguerite,  wife  of  Rush 
Drake,  formerly  of  Detroit,  but  now  of  Denver,  Col. ;  Mart 
mam-ied  Mr.  Whitney,  of  Philadelphia,  and  is  noted  in  New  York 
society  as  one  of  its  most  beautiful  and  brilliant  women;  6.  Wil- 
liam died  unmarried;  7.  Edward;  8.  Emma  died  unmarried;  9. 
Emily  married  Francis  Markman  and  resided  in  New  York  ; 
Elizabeth  married  Henry  Scovil ;  Carrie  married  Philip  Guliger 
and  resided  in  New  York,  where  her  wonderful  voice  was  highly 
appreciated. 

4.  Nancy,  fourth  daughter  of  Judge  May,  married  James 
Whipple,  son  of  Mayor  John  Whipple  and  Archange- 
Peltier.  In  1823,  she  married  Francois  Audrain  ;  5.  Caroline 
married  1829,  Alexander  Frazer,  the  leader  for  many  years  of  the- 
Detroit  bar.  The  only  child  of  this  marriage  was  Alexander,. 
who  married  Milly  Miles,  of  New  York  :  Alexander,  Jr.  died, 
leaving  one  daughter,  Carrie,  who  died  unmarried. 

DESNOYERS. 


There  are  many  families  of  this  name  who  settled  at  an  early 
period  in  this  country.  The  Detroit  branch  traces  direct  to  France 
through  Pierre  Jean  Desnoyers,  who  established  himself  at  Detroit 
shortly  after  the  American  possession  in  1796.     He  was  the  son  of 


Early  French  Families.  295 

Jean  Charles  and  ]SIiiric  Charlotte  ^Vliillct,  St.  Bartholnmi  Parish, 
Paris.  Pierre  iinmediatcly  took  an  active  interest  in  the  allairsof 
the  little  town  which  he  had  chosen  for  the  cradle  of  his  race.  He 
was  universally  respected  as  a  tlioroviiih  Ciiristian,  an  ujjright,  en- 
tcrprisini;  citizen,  a  courteous  and  charniinii-  companion. 

July^iOth,  17!IS,  he  married  Marie  Louise  (Joheil,  whose  saintly 
life  is  mirrored  in  tliat  of  her  dauuliters.  Many  children  ("ime  to 
bless  the  union  of  this  happy  couple:  1.  Pierre,  married  in  1821, 
Caroline  Leib,  dauiihler  of  Joim  and  Mariiuerite  (J'Connor  of 
Philadelphia.  She  left  two  children,  Dr.  Hdnuind  Desnoyers  and 
Emilie  who  married  the  talented  artist  Kmile  St.  Alary.  Pierre 
married  .a  second  time,  Anne  Hunt  ^Vhipple,  daughter  of  Capt. 
John  Whipple,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Archange  Peltier,  by  whom  he  had 
many  children,  but  only  two  at  present  living:  Kate,  married  J. 
Newlon  Powers;  Fanny,  married  1875,  Wm.  B.  Moran.  Pierre 
held  many  offices  of  jiublic  tru^t,  and  died  in  ]SSO.  at  an  advanced 
age;  'i.  ^(arie  Hose,  married  1S17,  Louis  de  (^uindre. who.se  daugh- 
ter Ainiie  married  Edward  Lansing  of  New  York;  3.  Emilie,  mar- 
ried Louis  Leib.  She  died  young,  and  left  no  heirs;  4.  Vict<iire, 
married  1825.  Henry  S.  Cole,  of  Canandaigua.  N.  Y.,  a  most  able 
lawyer,  who  had  settled  at  Detroit.  Their  family  consisted  of 
three  sons  and  four  daughters  :  Augustus  Porter  Cole;  Charles 
Seymour,  died  unmarried:  James  Henry,  died  unmarried;  Marie 
Louise,  married  E.  ^L  Wilco.x;  Isabelle,  died  a  nun  of  the  Sacred 
Heart;  ^larie  Antoinette;  Harriet  S.,  whose  beautiful  and  pious  life 
is  a  repetition  of  that  of  her  mother  anil  grandmother;  5.  Eii/.a- 
bctli,  married  1835,  James  J.  Van  Dyke,  one  of  the  most  brdliant 
lawyers  of  his  time,  who  died  before  he  fulfilled  the  brightest 
e.xpectations  which  his  talents  promised,  leaving  a  large  family  as 
follows:  Geo.  W.,  married  Fanny  Perlej',  widow  of  Chas.  Pi(piettc; 
Marie  Desnoyers,  married  Wm.  Casgrain,  a  member  of  that  dis- 
tinguished family  of  Canada.  She  resides  at  Milwaidcee,  Wis. ; 
Pliilil)  James  D.,  married  1st  Marion  King,  2nd  Sarah  Heeson.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  promising  lawyers  Detroit  has  ever  produced, 
inheriting  in  an  eminent  degree  the  brilliant  talents  of  his  distin- 
guished father.  IhMlicd  in  thetlowerof  his  age,  leaving  four  boys 
by  his  .second  marriage  ;  ?]rnest  D.  is  tlu;  worth}'  and  respected 
pastor  of  the  Pro.  Catliedral,  (St.  Aloysius)  Detroit;  Josephine  Des- 
noyers, m.arried  Henry  F.  Brown.son,  an  ollicer  in  the  LI.  S.  A.  He 
resigned  in  1871,  became  a  lawyer  and  partner  of  Philij)  J.  D.  Van 
Dyke.  He  is  a  .son  of  the  celeljraled  writer,  Dr.  Orestes  Hrownson. 
Major  Brownson  is  one  of  tlu;  most  scholarly  men  of  which 
Detroit  is  justly  proud.  He  has  a  large  and  interesting  family, 
the  meml)ers  of  which  though  young  already  give  promise  of  the 
talents  doubly  iidierited;  Victoire.  is  a  nun  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  Order;  tlise,  married  1872,  William  B.  Moran?  She  died 
in  1874,  leaving  one  child  Catherine;  6.  Charles  Desnoyers,  married 


■206  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Elizabeth  Kna<r,<^s,by  whom  he  had  three  sons;  7.  Francois,  married 
Louise  Haird,  of  Erie,  Pa.,  settled  at  Green  Bay,  Wis.  His  chil- 
dren still  reside  there;  S.  Josephine,  married  Henry  Barnard,  son 
of  Chauncy  Barnard  and  Elizabeth  Andrus,  Hartford,  Conn.  Mr. 
Barnard  is  a  thorough  scholar,  and  has  held  many  impor- 
tant positions.  He  was  President  of  St.  John's  College,  Md., 
Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  U .  S.  Commissioner  of 
Education.  One  son  and  two  daughters  are  the  children  of  this 
marriage.  The  son,  Henry  D.,  resides  in  Detroit,  is  an  accom- 
plished, studious  gentleman,  ambitious  and  likely  to  obtain  emi- 
nence in  the  political  world,  in  which  he  has  already  attained 
position  and  reputation  of  which  many  an  older  man  might  well 
be  proud.  He  married  in  1878,  Kittic,  daughter  of  Judge  Chas. 
Moran,  and  Justine  McCormack. 

DOUAIRE  DE  BONDY. 


This  famil3'  is  still  to  be  found  among  the  haute  noldesse  of 
France.  It  was  once  very  influential  in  Canada,  allied  to  the 
Fleury  de  la  Gorgondiere,  de  Vaudreuil,  Joliet,  Godefroy,  d'A- 
mours,  and  others.  Thomas  Douaire  de  Bondy  came  to  Canada 
in  1650,  and  married  Marguerite  de  Chavigny,  daughter  of  Fran- 
9ois,  Seigneur  de  Champenuois  in  France,  and  the  great  heiress, 
Eleonore  de  Grandmaisou.  This  Eleonore  though  married  three 
times  always  signed  her  maiden  name  to  deeds  and  documents. 
Thomas  was  drowned  whilst  bathing  near  his  residence,  the  Isle 
d'Orleans,  leaving  a  rich  j'oung  widow  and  four  children.  She 
married  in  1671,  Ale.xis  de  Fleury  d'E.schambault  and  became  the 
ancestress  of  the  powerful  Fleury  de  la  Gorgondiere  family 
whose  deeds  and  exploits  till  the  annals  of  Canada.  By  her  tirst 
marriage  with  Douaire  de  Bondy  she  had  the  following  children: 
1.  DoROTHEE,  married,  in  France,  Coiuit  Fabian  d'Albergati.  Her 
.son,  Marie  Luc,  Marcjuis  d'Albergati,  married,  in  1757,  Char- 
lotte d'Aubert,  of  the  Juchereau  family;  2.  Louise  Marguerite, 
married,  1st,  Pierre  Allemand,  in  1693  Nicolas  Pineau;  3.  Au- 
GUSTiN,  married  1693,  Catherine  Tcstard  de  la  Forest.  A  grand- 
son of  his  married,  in  1780,  in  France,  Charlotte  Testard  de  Mon- 
tign}',  daughter  of  Chevalier  Jean  Baptiste  and  Charlotte  Trotier 
des  Rivieres;  4.  Jacques,  married  1()60,  Madeliene  Gatineau  du 
Plessis,  daughter  of  Nicolas,  Sieur  du  Plessis  and  ^Nfarie  Crevier. 
1.  Jacques,  married  1728,  Mari-  Damours  whose  family  goes  back 
to  1496,  Franyois  Seigneur  du  Serin  who  belonged  to  the  royal 
household  of  Louis  XII.  Marie's  grandfather,  Seigneur  de  la 
Morandiere,  came  to  Canada  in  1652.  His  brother  was  a  Mare- 
chal  de  France. 

2.  Joseph,  son  of  Jaccjues  and  Madeleine  Gatineau  du  Plessis, 


I'.iirlij    J'reiicJi    F<iiiiHu'i<.  297 

•came  to  Detroit  in  17:}(),  married,  in  17:52,  Marie  Anne  Campeau, 
•  dauirlitcr  of  Jaeqiies  and  Cecile  C'atin.  Their {liildrcn  were:  1. 
Antoine;  3.  DoMiMciri;.  married  171)!>,  Cliariolte  Saliotte,  wiiose 
•descendants  are  still  in  Miciiiiran  and  Indiana;  :{.  IvAIUKNT,  was 
a  very  hi'ave  soldier  and  was  killed  in  ISTJ;  4.  Ukn.iamiN;  o. 
Catiikium;.  married  Antoine  Haron;  t».  .Ioskttk,  married  Jo- 
seph iJeanhien;  7.  TiiKUKSE,  married  Col.  Gabriel  Godlroy;  8. 
JosKi'ir,  married  1758,  Josettc  Gamelin;  !).  Vekonique,  married 
Bernanl  Campeau. 

DUBOIS. 


Several  branches  of  this  family  settled  at  Detroit:  Didiois  dit 
Filliau;  Dul)f)is  dit  Dnrebois,  or  Briseliois.  It  was  the  family 
name  of  the  sixth  French  Governor  of  Canada,  Pierre  Dubois, 
Baron  D'Avaui^our.  In  \lTy\  .lean  I'aptiste  Dubois  (Dnrebois),  son 
of  .lean  Francois  and  Marianne  Prudliomnic  of  (Quebec,  married, 
at  Detroit,  Charlotte  Des  Ilestres,  dauL,diter  of  Antoine  and  Char- 
lotte Chartier.  Their  children  were:  1.  Pierre  Amable.  born  17r)5; 
2.  Jean  Louis, born  1  75«,  diedyountr:  3.  Susanne.born  17~)9;4.  ]Mari- 
anne,  born  17(50.  In  17(i')  Francois  Dubois,  a  brother  of  Jean 
Baptiste,  married  Susanne  Durivatre.  Th"  one  wiio  left  his  name 
to  the  present  Dubois  Farm  was  Etienne,  son  of  Eticnnc  and  .Marie 
Charlotte  de  Lacelle  of  Montreal.  lie  came  to  Detroit  several 
years  previous  to  the  American  possession;  in  17!(2  he  married 
3Iarguerile,  dauuliter  of  Ale.xis  (Hadi)  I)esc()mi)tes  j.abadie  and 
Francoi.se  Ko])ert — to  whom  he  was  distantly  related  through  his 
mother.  James,  a  son  of  this  union,  married,  in  1829,  Sophie 
Campau,  daughter  of  Jacques  and  Josette  Chesne.  lie  died  a 
few  years  ago.leaving  to  his  children  his  large  estate,  and  the  rejiu- 
tation  of  an  lionorable  man  and  upright  citizen.  Ilis  children 
are:  Louis,  married  Julie  St.  Aul)in,  daughter  of  Louis  and 
Theresc  Chapnton;  Emilie,  married  ]M.  de  Girardin;  p]li/abeth, 
.married  Julian  Williams. 

GAMELIN. 


This  name  ranks  among  the  most  celebrated  in  Canada,  and  is 
still  found  in  France.  .Michel  came  to  Canada  as  a  surgeon,  and 
married  tiien;,  in  l(it>2.  Marguerite  Crevier,  a  member  of  that  his- 
toric and  aristocratic  family.  Their  children  were:  Ignace,  born 
Kitio,  married  lfi7;{,  .Margmrite  Le  .Moyne;  .M.arguerite,  born  l(!t!4, 
marrieil  lGr>7,  [iCger  lleberl;  Jean,  born  l(i7();  Pierre,  born  1(17."), 
married  1(!9!),  Jeanne  Maugras:  Genevieve,  married  Hapliste 
Le  (iras.  Ignace  married  Marguerite  Le  Moyne,  daughter  of  Jean 
.and  Madeleine;  deChavigny.  His  .son  Ignace  married  l(i!)8,  Louise 
DuFros  de  la  Jammerais,  whose  sister  Marguerite,  after  the  death 


298  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

of  her  Imsband,  Francois  You,  Si^eur  de  la  Decouverte,  became- 
the  celebrated  foundress  of  the  Grey  Nuns  at  Montreal.  Louise- 
was  the  daughter  of  Christopher  DuFros,  and  Renes  Gaultier. 
The  sons  of  Ignace  and  Louise  came  to  Detroit  in  1760. 
They  were  Medor  and  Antoine — the  former  married,  iu 
1767,  Angelique  Cicotte;  he  was  very  prominent  in  getting 
up  the  first  militia  under  French  rule  and  was  appointed 
Major;  he  died  m  1778.  Antoine,  his  brother,  married  his 
cousin  Catherine  Gamelin,  daughter  of  Laurent,  who  had  come 
to  Fort  Pontchartraiu  before  his  cousins;  he  was  the  son 
of  Pierre  and  Jeanne  Maugras,  alUed  to  the  Boucher  de 
Boncherville.  He  had  married  Josette  Dudevoir  Lachine,  by 
whom  he  had  the  following  children:  Marie  Jeanne,  born  1743, 
married  Jean  LeGras;  Catherine,  born  1744,  married  1765, 
Antoine  Gamelin,  son  of  Ignace  and  Louise  DuFros  de  la  Jam- 
merais;  Josette,  married  1758,  Josepli  Douaire  de  Bondy,  who 
was  related  to  her  through  the  De  Chavignys ;  Francois,  married, 
1772,  Thert'se  Cabassier;  second  mar.,  1786,  Marie  Joachine 
Fouche,  of  Montreal;  Laurent,  born  1755;  Francoise,  born  1756; 
Paul,  born  1757.  Francois  and  Therese  Cabassier's  children  were: 
Catishe,  married  Simon  Campau;  Josette,  married,  1796,  Jean 
Baptiste  Campeau.  Francois'  second  wife,  M.  Joachine,  daughter 
of  Antoine,  a  lawyer  of  Montreal,  and  Joachine  Chesnay  de  la 
Garenne;  her  brother  was  an  eminent  judge,  Solicitor  and  Inspector 
General,  and  Member  of  Parliament  of  Three  Rivers,  Canada. 
The  children  of  this  marriage  were:  Francois,  died  unmarried; 
Susanne,  born  1796.  married  Audrain  Abbott,  son  of  Robert  and 
Elizabeth  Audrain.  She  still  lives,  (1883)  having  outlived  every 
member  of  her  family  (save  a  grandson)  and  ihe  friends  of  her  youth. 
Few,  in  conversing  with  her,  would  imagine  that  her  years  num- 
bered eighty-seven.  The  kindling  eye,  dark  hair,  and  charming 
grace  and  courtesy  of  manner  make  her  an  attractive  companion 
to  the  young  and  old.  She  is  a  thorough  type  of  the  Old  Regime, 
which  in  her  will  lose  one  of  its  last  re]:)resentatives. 

gode'  de  marantay. 


This  family  counts  among  its  descendants  a  branch  of  Le  Moyne 
de  St.  Helene,  Le  Gardeur  de  Repentigny,  St.  Ours,  Guy  on,  Gode- 
froy,  Reaume,  and  others  equally  well  known.  Nicolas,  born 
1583,  a  native  of  Perche,  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability ;  he 
was  killed  with  his  son-in-law,  Jean  de  St.  Per,  by  the  Iroquois,  in 
1657;  he  left  several  children  by  his  wife  Francoise  Gadois: 
Francois,  married  1649,  Francois  Bugon,  de  Clermont,  Auvergne; 
Nicolas,  married  1658,  Marguerite  Picard,  de  Paris;  ]Mathurine, 
married  1651.  Jean  de  St.  Per,  Royal  Notary  of  Montreal:  he  was 


yKdi'lij  I'l-iHch   J'aiiiUics.  299^ 

killed  by  the  Tndiiin.s  in  K].")?.  Tlioir  dauditcr  Affathe,  born  Ifir)?, 
inarrit'd  HW.l,  Pu-rrc  I.cCSardcur  dc  Kcpcntigny;  one  of  Ajrallio's 
danjrlilcrs,  married  in  no.l,  Jean  Bai)t('  de  St.  Ours,  Chevalier 
de  St.  IjOIUs.  whose  family  can  be  traced  back  to  the  loth  century; 
lie  was  a  distinguished  ollieer,  and  eoinmaiulcd  at  For!  I'ontchar- 
train;  when  he  came  to  his  post  he  was  accompained  by  his 
cousins,  .lacques  and  Francois  Uode;  Mathurine,  marrieil  a  year 
after  her  husbands  tragic  death,  Jac(iues  Lc  Moync  de  St.  llelenc, 
brother  of  the  Jiaron  de  Longueil,  Governor  of  Canada,  an  uncle 
of  Iberville,  and  De  Bienville,  the  founder  of  New  Orleans,  La — 
Seigneur  dc  la  Varennes,  and  de  la  Trinite.  Jacques,  son  of 
Nicolas,  Jr.,  married  ^Marguerite  Du  Guay,  daugliter  of  Dr. 
Jacques  Du  (luay  and  Jeanne  de  Haudry-Lainarche.  of  the 
renowned  Boucher  de  J5ouchervi!ie  family.  Two  of  their  cliil- 
dren  estal)lished  themselves  at  Detroit.  Jae(pies,  Jr.,  married 
1747,  Louise  Adhemar  de  St.  Martin;  his  children  were:  ('has. 
Joseph,  born  1749  ;  Marie  Angeli(iue,  born  1750,  married  1775, 
Francois  Gouin;  31.  Louise,  born  1756;  Genevieve,  born  1751, 
married  1767,  Jean  IJaptiste  ('ampeau. 

Francois,  who  received  the  title  of  de  ^larantay  (corrupted  into 
Marentette)  which  his  descendants  adopted  later  as  their  proper 
name.  He  married  Jeanne  Parent,  daughter  of  Laurent  and 
Jeanne  Cardinal;  their  children  were:  1.  Francois,  born  1756; 
2.  Angeli(iue.  born  1757;  8.  Jacipies  Francheville,  married  1795, 
Genevieve  Reaume,  daughter  of  Claude.  A  daughter  Jeanette, 
by  this  marriage,  married  Win.  Macomb:  4.  Dominique,  married 
1796,  ]\Iarie  Louise  Archange  Navarre,  daughter  of  Kobert,  Jr., 
and  ^Farie  Louise  de  Mersac;  5.  Laurent,  married  Marie  Louise 
Chesne  La  Butte,  daughter  of  Pierre  and  Marianne  Cuillerier  de 
Beaubien,  whose  miinerous  descendants  still  reside  at  Windsor 
and  Sandwich,  Canada,  whose  .son  Pierre  married  Mile.  Groue. 
His  sons  are  all  noted  for  their  great  musical  gift,  and  reside  at 
Sandwich,  Canada. 

GODEFROY. 


This  name,  at  present  written  Godfroy,  is  among  the  oldest  in 
Normandy.  In  .some  of  its  l)ranches  there  is  a  tradition  of  a  des- 
cent from  Godefroi  de  Bouillon,  the  crir^ader.  Lithe  chambers 
of  the  courts  of  Normandy  at  Houen,  we  tind  many  of  the  names 
enrolled  amongthe  "haute  noblesse."  Several  were  eminent  as 
priests  and  historians.  Denis,  Councillor  in  the  Parliament  of 
Paris,  1580,  was  the  author  of  .several  valuable  legal  works,  liis 
son  Jacques  Was  Secretary  of  State  and  Syndic  of  tiie  Kcpul)lic, 
his  grandson  was  made  liistoriogra])her  of  France,  in  1640,  and 
wrote  tlie  historj-  of  the  (^)nstal)les  and  Chancellors  of  France.  A 
branch  of  this  family  resided  in  Normandy  in  1580,  whose  head 


300  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

was  Pierre.  His  son  Jean  Bapte  came  to  Canada  abont  1635. 
His  marriage  contract,  a  copy  of  which  is  before  the  writer,  is 
dated  Dec.  15,  163(),  and  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  one  record- 
ed in  Canada.  His  wife  was  Marie  Le  Neuf  de  Herisou.  His 
sons  and  liindred  were  ennobled  in  1667,  and  received  tlie  Seigneuru 
de  Linctot  and  the  fiefs  de  Normandville,  de  Vieux  Pont,  de 
Roguetiliade,  de  Tonnancour,  de  Marboeuf,  &c.,  &c.  A  .sister 
of  Jean  Bapte,  Anne,  married  Jacques  Teslard  dc  ]Montigny, 
whose  descendant  Jean  Bapte  Montigny  de  Louvigny,  commanded 
at  Detroit,  married  there  a  d.  of  Lt.-Gov.  Hay  and  Julie  Reaume, 
another  Pierre  Testard  de  Fortville  married  Catherine  Chesne,  of 
Detroit.  Rene  de  Tonnancour,  of  Three  Rivers,  w^as  Procureur 
du  Roi,  Lt.-Gcn.,  &c.  His  branch  was  at  one  time  very  promi- 
nent, and  several  of  its  members  were  decorated  with  the  Cross  of 
St.  Louis,  Maurice  being  among  the  last  to  receive  it  in  1784.  The 
old  church  at  Three  Rtvers,  richly  endowed  by  the  Godefroys, 
istill  has  the  arms  of  this  family  superblj^  curved  on  the  Banc 
d'Oeuvres. 

In  1715  Pierre  Godefroy  de  Roquetaliade,  grandson  of  Jean 
Bapte  de  Linctot,  came  to  Detroit.  He  was  followed  shortly 
afterwards  by  Jacques  Godefroy  de  Marboeuf.  In  1750,  Jean 
Bapte  Godefroy,  called  the  Chevalier,  came  to  Detroit  with  his 
wife,  Jeanne  Yeron  de  Grandmesnil,  and  died  there  in  1756. 
Pierre  and  Jacques  both  married  into  the  same  family.  Jacques 
married  1716,  Marie  Chesne  St.  Onge.  Pierre  married  1734, 
Catherine  Sanduge,  and  his  step-daughter  married  Charles  Chesne 
St.  Onge.  Like  others  of  the  name  they  were  interested  in  the 
fur  trade,  which  was  originally  a  monopoly  carried  on  by  a  com- 
pany called  the  Hundred  Associates,  and  later  by  the  Companie 
des  Indes.  As  early  as  1687,  it  was  said  that  25,000  beaver  skins 
alone  were  exported  from  Quebec  in  a  single  ship.  The  immense 
destruction  of  fur  bearing  animals  led  to  the  extension  of  the 
trading  posts  to  the  far  west.      Pierre's  line  died  out. 

Thechildren  of  Jacques  were:  Catherine,  b.  1717,  at  Three  Rivers, 
■named  from  her  godmother,  ('atherine  Godefroy  de  Roquetaliade 
married  Nov.  21st,  1788,  the  Chevalier  Alex.  Trotter  des  Ruisseaux, 
of  an  illustrious  family.  He  was  the  first  trustee  of  Ste.  Anne's 
and  first  Capt.  of  Militia.  The  witnesses  of  this  marriage  were  :  De 
Noyelle,  Commander  of  the  Post;  Le  Gardeur  de  Courtemanche, 
Lt.  of  Marines;  Sieurs  Clias.  and  Pierre  Chesne;  Louis  Campeau; 
Barroi-s,  Beaubien,  Alexis  Bienvenu  Delisle.  In  1777  she  died, and 
she  is  recorded  as  the  daughter  of  the  deceased  nobleman  Godefroy 
de  Marboeuf;  this  is  the  last  time  that  the  title  is  mentioned; 
Angeliqua,  born  1719,  married  Jan.  8th,  1736,  Zacharie  Cicotte,  a 
wealthy  merchant  ;  the  marriage  contract  is  given  under  the 
Cicotte  family;  the  witnesses  of  the  marriage  were  :  Hughes 
Pean,  Chevalier  of  St.  Louis,    Pierre  Chesne  La  Butte,  Francois 


/uirli/  Freuch    Fniiiiliei<.  801 

Prejpnt,  Dagncaux  Douville,  Jean  l}aj)le  Chapoton:  Jactjuos, 
bom  1722,  was  very  youuir  at  the  lime;  of  liis  ])ar('iits' (icatli,  and 
Avas  brouu^lit  iij)  by  liis  eldest  sister,  C'allierine  des  Kiiisseaux. 
Like  liis  father  lie  was  interested  in  tlie  fur  trade.  lie  was 
tliorouLrhly  familiar  witji  the  Indian  toniiiies:  and  exerting  irreat 
intliienee  with  the  chiefs,  by  reason  of  his  braver}-  and  famiiv  con- 
nections,  he  soon  liecanie  widely  known  as  interpreter  ajid 
negotiator  between  the  .savages  and  whites.  He  was  ensign  in  his 
brother-indaw's,  Alexis  desHuissoaux,  eompany.  After  the  fall  of 
Quebec,  Detroit  Avas  ceded  to  the  English.  I'ontiac  was  at 
first  dispo.sed  to  resist  the  newcomers,  and  had  he  been  aided  by 
the  French  settlers  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  eoinpiest  of  tlie 
country  would  have  been  elTected.  I!ut  they,  relying  ujion  the 
promises  made  in  the  treaty  that  all  their  rights  would  I)e  re- 
spected, no  resistance  was  made,  and  the  garrison  imder  .Mons.  de 
Bellestre  surrendered,  and  were  escorted  to  I'luladelphia,  leaving 
tlie  French  settlers  at  the  mercy  of  the  English  troop.s.  French 
accounts  saj*  that  in  the  face  of  the  treaty  they  were  robbed  of 
their  property,  deprived  of  their  fire-arms,  leaving  them  without 
defence  against  the  Indians.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  bitter 
feelings  were  engendered,  and  the  English  commanders,  ignonmt 
for  the  most  part  of  the  French  and  Indian  languages,  were  stis- 
picious  of  constant  jilottings  against  them,  it  is  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise that  the  settlement,  aided  by  their  old  Indi.-ui  allies  did  not 
exterminate  the  English  garrison,  and  their  conduct  under  the  cir- 
cumstances is  a  convincing  proof  that  the  characteristic  honor 
and  loyalty  claimed  for  them  existed  in  the  highest  degree.  In 
176:5,  the  haughty  Ottawa  warrior,  who  coulil  no  longer  brook 
the  arrogance  of  the  British,  attacked  the  fort  at  Detroit  ;uid  the 
other  English  jxjsts.  .Tac(jues  and  Dr.  ("ha])Oton  were  sent  bv  the 
English  commander  to  ])arley  with  Ponliac  and  endeavor  to 
dissuade  him  from  his  i)uri)()se,  but  the  .savage  chieftain  would  not 
be  influenced.  Jacques  and  other  pronunent  French  inhabitants 
were  suspected  of  encouraging  Ponliac,  and  on  the  advent  of 
General  Bradstreet,  they  were  arrested  and  charged  with  trea.son. 
In  1758,  Jacfiues  married  Louise  Clf)tilde  Chapoton,  dauirhli-r  of 
Jean  ("hapoton,  Sui-gcon  in  the  French  army.  She  died  in  17(;4, 
leaving  one  .son,  Jacfpies  (Jabrit'l.  Ja((iues  devoted  the  remainder 
of  his  life  to  the  care  of  his  son,  and  the  rebuilding  of  his  fortune, 
which  had  .sull'ered  since  the  P^nglish  con(]uest.  lie  fii^ures 
prominently  in  many  of  tlie  Indian  transfers  of  land.  lii  the 
American  State  papers  is  a  curious  deed  in  French  from  Jac(pies 
Godefroy  to  his  .son  conveying  to  him  farming  lands,  implements, 
cattle,  .silver  and  slaves.  The  land  conveyed  comprised  the  tract 
between  20th  and  22nd  streets  from  the  river  to  some  three  miles 
back,  some  of  which  is  still  owned  by  his  descendants.  He  died 
in  1795.     He  evidently  was   very  popular  and  generous,  for  he 


302  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

seems  to  have  been  for  several  years  godfather  to  almost  every 
child  tliat  was  born,  for  pages  of  baptisms  on  the  records  have  his 
name  affixed,  in  his  strong,  bold  handwriting. 

Jaccpies  Gabri('l,  born  1758,  within  Fort  Pontchartrain.  He  was 
named  GabriOl  from  his  godfather  and  uncle,  Gabric'l  Le  Grand, 
Chevalier  de  Sintre.  About  the  time  he  came  of  age  the  American 
revolution  was  in  progress.  Though  the.col9ny  was  far  removed 
from  the  scene  of  war,Gabnyrs  sympathies  were  with  the  colonists. 
His  early  years  were  spent  in  extending  the  fur  trade  and  establish- 
ing trading  posts  on  a  large  scale  from  Monroe  to  Fort  Vincennes; 
the  firm  of  Godfrey  &  Beaugrand  was  one  of  the  largest  and  best 
known  in  the  West.  After  the  American  possession  he  received 
an  appointment  as  sub-agent  and  deputy-superintendent  of  Indian 
affairs  from  Gen.  Harrison  (afterwards  president  of  the  U.  S.). 
The  records  which  have  been  preserved  of  his  success  in  negotia- 
tions with  the  Indians  are  abundant,  and  he  retained  the  position 
until  his  death  in  1832.  The  ordinary  duties  were  to  repair  to 
any  post  where  difficulties  might  arise,  and  to  reclaim  from  mau- 
rading  Indians  stolen  property,  to  pay  the  Indian  annuities  and 
to  receive  at  his  house  ail  Indians  who  might  arrive.  Gabriel  was 
Major  of  the  1st  Regiment  of  the  Territory;  on  the  resignation  of 
Augustus  B.  Woodward  was  made  Colonel.  He  married  Angelique 
de  Couture,  bj'  whom  he  had  five  children:  Gabriel,  Jr.,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hon.  Jas.  May;  his  descendants  reside  at 
Grand  Rapids;  Jean  Baptiste  settled  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.  In 
1796  Gabriel  married  Therese  Douaire  de  Bondy,  by  whom  he  had 
several  children.  He  died  in  1881.  He  was  one  of  the  few  who 
lived  under  French,  English  and  American  rule  in  the  same  place, 
and  saw  a  change  of  tlags  five  times.  He  married  a  third  time 
Monique  Campau,  by  whom  he  had  no  issue. 

Those  by  his  second  wife  were:  1.  Susanne,  born  1794.  married 
Jas.  McCloskey.  Her  children  were:  Henry,  married  Therdse 
Soulard,  of  St.  Louis;  Elizabeth,  married  Hon.  Isaac  P.  Chris- 
■tiancy;  Caroline,  married  Mr.  Calwell;  Susanne,  married  Mr. 
Morton,  brother  of  the  late  Julius  Morton,  of  Detroit;  Melinde, 
married  John  Askin,  of  Sandwich,  Canada. 

2.  Pierre,  "  Le  Prince"  as  he  was  generally  called,  was  born 
1796.  He  removed  the  last  remnant  of  the  Indians  about 
Detroit  to  their  reservation  in  the  far  West.  He  was  active 
And  enterprising,  and  the  firm  of  P.  &  J.Godfroy  was  well  known. 
He  married  Marianne  Navarre  Marentette,  daughter  of  Dominique 
Gode  de  Marentette  and  Archange  Louise  Navarre;  she  and  her 
sister,  Mrs.  De  Quiudre  (afterwards  Mrs.  Wm.  B.  Hunt),  were 
■considered  the  most  beautiful  women  in  the  Territory.  It  is  a 
family  tradition  that  Prince  Godfroy  once  won  a  wager  by  pad- 
dling himself  in  a  wheelbarrow  across  the  Detroit  river  to  visit  his 
fiancee,  who  lived  on  the  Canadian  shore,  a  feat  quite  as  difficult 


Early  J'rtnch  Families.  803 

us  Loander  swiininiiii;^  tlu'  II('llcsp(»nl,  and  no  less  rnniantic.  The 
children  of  tiiis  union  wvyv.  1.  .lacqucs  William;  2.  Elizabeth,  niar- 
rieil  John  Watson;  :{.  Fiani<lin  Ai)p<)lonaire,  died  younir;  4.  Melon- 
nieTlu'nse,  diedyounir;  5.  Caroline  Anne;  G.  Alexandrine  Louise, 
married  Theo.  Parsons  Hall;  7. Charles  Cass;  8.  Nancy,  married 
.TosephVis.iiar,a  name  well  iinown  in  the  early  days  of  the  Territory; 
4.  .losette,  married  \H'i\,  John  Smythe,  son  of  Col.  Kicliard  Smythe 
and  Prudenee  Hnidy,  of  Lexington,  Ky.  After  his  death  she 
became  a  nun,  and  died  whilst  Superior  of  the  Order  of  the 
Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary;  5.  Jac(pies  li.  was  educated  at  Bards- 
town,  Ky. ;  lie  studied  law  but  abandoned  the  profession  of  it  on 
account  of  ill  health.  He  was  a  partner  for  many  years  in  the 
firm  of  P.  cV  J.  (iodfroy.  He  married,  1S'20  Yictoire.  dauj^hter 
of  Col.  Francois  Navarre,  of  Monroe.  He  died  in  1847,  l(?aving  a 
large  family:  Jacques  Louis  Columbus,  married  Sarah  De  Quindre; 
Celestine,  married  ^Ir.  Waldruff;  Frederick;  Alexandrine;  Hiiaire; 
Philippe;  Victoire;  Augu.stus;  ^larie;  Zoc,  married  Benjamin 
Abbott,  son  of  Robert,  Auditor-General  and  Treasurer  of  the  Terri- 
tory of  Michigan;  Sophie,  married  James  "Whipple,  son  of  Major 
John  Whiiipie,  l'.  S.  A.;  (i.  Kichard,  married  Anne  Villier  dit 
St.  Louis,  by  whom  he  had  a  large  family. 


Note. — Fief.  Fief  is  an  estate  held  and  possessed  on  condition 
•of  fealty  homage  and  certain  rights  payable  generally  by  the  new 
possessor  to  the  Loril  or  Seigneur  by  whom  the  fief  is  held;  these 
rights  are  Quint  and  lidit'f.  The  Quint  is  the  fifth  part  of  the 
purchase  money,  and  must  be  paid  by  the  purchaser.  i^7/V/is  the 
revenue  of  one  year  due  to  the  Seigneur  for  certain  mutations.  H" 
a  fief  came  to  a  vas.'jal  by  succession  in  the  direct  line,  there  was 
nothing  due  the  Seigneur  but  fealty  and  homage:  but  if  in  the 
collateral  line,  then  a  fine  was  ]iaid  to  the  Seigneur  upon  taking 
the  estate  which  had  lapsed  or  fallen  by  the  death  of  the  last  ten 
ant.  J'iefs  were  divided  by  the  "  Contumc  de  Paris"  into  two 
kinds:  1st,  those  held  nobly;  3d,  tho.se  held  by  villainage.  The 
estates  held  nobly  are  the  fiefs,  and  Franc  Alen  noble.  The 
estates  held  by  villainage,  were  held  subject  to  ccns  or  cinsice,  and 
Franc  Alen  villain.  Franc  Alen  was  a  freehold  estate  held  sub- 
ject to  no  seigneurical  rights  or  duties,  acknowledging  no  lord, 
but  the  king.  Censive  wa.s.an  est;ite  held  in  the  feudal  manner, 
•charged  with  a  certain  annual  rent  which  was  paid  bj^  the  po.s- 
sessor  of  it;  it  consi.sted  of  money,  grain,  fowls,  etc.  It  was  thus 
that  most  of  the  habitants  in  Canada  held  their  farms.  The  "  lods 
etventes,"or  fines  of  alienation,  were  one  half  part  of  the  pur- 
clia.se  money,  and  were  paid  by  the  purcha.scr  on  all  mutations  of 
property  "en  roture"  to  the  Seigneur  in  the  .same  manner  as  the 
quint  was  paid  upon  mutations  of  fiefs.  The  succession  to  fiefs 
-\vas  different  from  that  of  property  held  "en  roture"  or  by  vil- 


304  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

laiiiiige.  The  eldest  .son  took,  by  right,  the  principal  manor  house- 
or  cliateau,  and  the  yard  adjoinino;  it;  also  an  acre  of  the  garden 
joining  it.  If  there  were  any  mills,  ovens  or  presses  within  the 
seigneuree,  they  belonged  to  the  eldest  son ;  but  the  profits  arising 
froni  tlie  mills,  ovens  and  presses,  if  common,  were  equally 
divided  among  the  heirs.  When  there  were  only  two  heirs,  the 
eldest  took,  besides  the  manor  house,  etc.,  two-thirds  of  the  fief, 
and  the  youngest  son  the  other  third.  But  when  there  were  more 
than  two  heirs,  the  eldest  son  took  one-half,  and  the  other  heirs 
the  I'emaining  half.  When  only  daughters  were  the  heirs,  the  fief 
Avas  equally  divided  among  them.  If  the  eldest  son  died,  the 
next  did  not  succeed  to  his  birth  rights;  the  estate  was  then 
equally  divided  among  the  heirs. 

GOUIN. 


This  family  was  allied  to  the  most  distinguished  of  Canada. 
Mathurin,  born  1638,  son  of  Vincent  and  Charlotte  Gaultier,  dio- 
cese de  Poitiers,  married  1663,  at  Three  Rivers,  Canada,  Marie 
Madeleine  Vien,  daughter  of  Etienne  and  Marie  Denot  de  la  Mar- 
tiniere;  their  children  were:  Thomas,  born  1667;  Pierre,  born 
1679;  Louis,  married  1720,  Jeanne  Marchand  ;  Josepli,  married 
1701,  Marquerite  Roy,  daughter  of  Michel  Roy  Chatellereau  and 
Fraucoise  Hobbe,  Diocese  of  Poitiers  (France);  Marianne,  mar- 
ried 1703,  Francois  Trotier,  son  of  Antoine  Trotier  Sieur  des 
Ruisseaux  and  Catharine  Lefebvre.  Claude  Thomas,  son  of 
Joseph  and  Marguerite  Gouin,  established  himself  at  Detroit,  and 
married  there  in  1742,  Josette  Cuillerier  de  Beaubien,  by  whom 
he  had  the  following  children:  Joseph  Nicolas,  born  1746,  mar 
ried  1771,  Elizabeth  Rivard ;  Francois,  born  1748,  married  1775, 
Angelique  Gode,  daughter  of  Jacques  and  Louise  de  St.  Martin; 
Claude  Pierre,  born  1751;  Judith,  born  1763,  married  1783, 
Philippe  Chabert  de  Joncaire,  son  of  the  Chevalier  Daniel  Chabert 
and  Marguerite  Ursule  Elizabeth  Rocbert  de  la  Morandiere; 
Claire,  married  Jean  Marie  Beaubien,  son  of  Jean  Bapte  Cuillerier 
de  Beaubien  and  Marianne  Lothman  de  Barrois.  Joseph  Nicolas, 
married  1771,  Eliza  Rivard,  whose  children  were:  Charles,  born 
1778,  married  1808,  Elizabeth  Descomptes  Labadie,  daughter  of 
Alexis  (Badi)  and  Franyoise  Robert;  he  was  very  prominent,  was 
chief  surveyor  under  the  British  rule ;  Pierre,  born  1780'  married 
Irene  Rivard,  daughter  of  Jean  Bapte  and  Irene  Beaufait.  Joseph 
Nicolas,  married  again  in  1790,  Archange  Boyer — the  daughter 
by  this  marriage  was  Colette  (Clotilde),  who  married  in  1809, 
Antoine  St.  Bernard,  and  in  1818,  Dominicpie  Riopellc,  thus  unit- 
ing the  large  landed  interests  of  the  Gouin  and  Riopelle  families. 
A  son  of  Dominique  Riopelle  married  again  into  the  Gouin 
family,  (the  branch  which  settled  at  Sandwich,  Canada). 


harhj  French  Fain 'dies.  '^Oo 

LOTHMAN  DE  BARROIS. 


Many  Frciicli  I'mnilics  of  to-(l;iy  claim  ninoiiu:  their  ancestors  a 
Lotliinaii  (Ic  iJarrois.  Aiitoiiic  Lotliinaii  ^Xv  iJanois  was  sent  to 
Ainericii  in  lG(!.j,  as  Secretary,  C'cniiu-illor  and  Airent  General  of 
the  East  India  Company.  He  was  also  inter|)reter  of  the  Portu- 
guese language.  He  was  tlie  son  of  Jean  and  Marie  Fournel, 
Chantel  le  Chateau,  Diocese  dc  Burges,  Herry.  He  married,  1672, 
Marie  Lc  Ber,  whose  family  was  a  very  distinguished  one.  She 
was  a  niece  of  Jeanne  Le  Ber  de  Senmenville,  whose  life  has  been 
written  by  the;  Historian  Ahlie  Faillon.  A  branch  of  the  Le  Ber 
returned  to  France,  ami  the  descendants  all  acquired  fame  and 
wcaltii.  One  was  a  p;ifre  to  Madame  la  l>au])liine,  another  a  gal- 
lant oflicer,  killed  on  tiie  Held  of  ^Magenta.  The  Chevalier  IJen- 
voist,  through  his  mother,  belonged  to  the  Le  Ber  family.  Francois 
Lothman  and  ]\Iarie  Le  Ber  had  several  children,  among  them 
were:  ^larianne.  born  1080,  married  1697,  Francois  Houdoin; 
Philijipe,  born  1672;  Francois,  born  1076,  married  at  Detroit  1717, 
Marianne  Sauvage;  Charles,  born  1678;  Antoine,  born  1683. 
Francois,  born  1676,  married  ^Marianne  Sauvage,  and  establi.shed 
him.self  at  Detroit — their  children  were:  ]Marie,  born  1719,  mar- 
ried 1734,  Robert  Navarre,  the  Sub-Intendant  and  ]{oyaI  Notary, 
and  is  the  ancestress  of  the  Navarres;  Louise,  born  1722,  married 
1736,  Pierre  Che.sne  La  Butte,  the  interpreter;  Catherine,  born 
1727,  married  1747,  Pierre  de  St.  Cosme,  who  was  one  of  the 
earliest  Justices  of  Peace.  One  of  the  daiighters,  Theoti.ste 
St.  Cosme,  married  in  1776,  Philippe  De  Jean,  .son  of  Philippe, 
Councillor  and  Senechal  of  Toulouse,  and  Jeanne  De  Ho(|ue.  De 
Jean  was  a  Judge  under  English  rule.  A  great  grand daugliter  of 
Pierre  St.  Cosme  became  the  first  wife  of  Judge  Jas.  ^lay.  Cath- 
erine married  again,  Antoine  Cuillerier  de  Beaubien,  i)v  whom 
she  had  many  children.  Antoine,  born  1733;  Agathe,  born  1735, 
married  Jean  Bapte  Reaume,  .son  of  Ilyacinthe  and  Agathe  de 
Lacelle;  Laurent,  married  17.57,  Catherine  Cecyre. 

MORAND. 


The  descendants  of  this  familj'  are  very  ably  represented  to-daj' 
in  Detroit.  Pierre,  its  founder  in  America,  wa.s  born  at  Batiscaa 
in  1651,  married  ^ladeleine  Grimard  1678.  His  branch  is  fre- 
(juently  known  as  Morand  dit  Grimard,  it  being  then  customary 
to  add  the  mother's  family  name,  especially  if  she  brought  a  large 
dower  to  her  husband.  Of  tiiis  marriage  many  children  were 
born  who.se  descendants  in  Canada  were  notiKl  as  clergymen, 
lawyers,  and  landed  proprietors.  Jean  Bapte,  a  son  of  Pierre's, 
married  1707,  Elizabeth  Dubois,  at  Quebec,  whose  .son,  Charles 
^lorand  Grimard  came  to  establish  himself  at  Detroit  .some  time 
ao 


300  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

before  the  English  Conquest  in  1760.  Tliere  was  nt  tliat  time 
anotlier  l)ranch  of  the  same  family,  who  settled  at  Detroit;  another 
Charles,  who  married  in  1751,  Catherine  Belleperche,  who  be- 
longed to  the  celebrated  Couillard  and  Guyon  De  Buisson  family, 
thus  closely  allied  to  La  Mothe  Cadillac's  wife;  their  children 
were:  Louis,  born  1756;  Charles,  born  1755;  Joseph,  born  1763, 
married  1790,  Catharine  Boyce;  Louise  and  Therese,  born  1769; 
Maurice,  born  1775,  married  1800,  Felise  Meloche;  Martlie,  mar- 
ried 1800,  Louis  Campeau;  Susanne,  married  1805,  Francois 
Campeau,  son  of  Jean  Bapte.  Chas.  Morand-Grimard,  married 
in  1767,  Marquerite  Simard  Tremblay,  whose  family  possessed 
the  Seisiueurie  du  Tremblay  as  early  as  1681.  She  died  in  1771, 
leaving  two  children  :  Louis,  born  1769;  Charles,  born  1770. 
Louis,  married  1794,  C^atherine  Campeau,  daughter  of  Jean  Bapte 
and  Catherine  Boyce.  One  of  his  sons  (George),  married  1836, 
Therese  Tremblaj^  whose  descendants  reside  at  Grosse  Pointe. 
Charges,  married  1794,  Catherine  Vessier  dit  Laferte,  whose  only 
child  was  the  late  Judge  Chas.  Morand.  Charles,  Jr.,  married 
1833,  Julie  De  Quindre,  daughter  of  Antoine  Daigncaux  Douville 
De  Quindre  and  Catherine  des  Rivieres  de  la  Morandiere.  The 
children  were:  1.  Matilda,  married  James  "Watson;  3.  Charles; 
3.  Julie,  married  Isaac  Toll;  4.  Virgiuie,  married  Francis  St. 
Aubin ;  5.  Mary  Josephine,  married  KobertJ  Mix,  of  Cleveland, 
O.,  Aug.  3rd,  1836;  Judge  Chas.  Moran  married  Justine  McCor- 
mack,  of  N.Y.,  by  whom  he  had  the  following  children:  1.  James, 
died  unmarried;  3.  William  B.,  married  1873,  Elise,  daughter  of 
James  J.  Vandylie,  in  1875,  Frances,  daughter  of  Pierre 
Desnoyers.  His  administrative  faculty,  his  successful  land  oper- 
ations have  placed  him  in  the  foremost  rank  of  Detroit  capitalists. 
3.  John  Vallie,  married  1880,  EramaEtheridge,  daughter  of  the  dis- 
tinguished orator  and  politician,  Emerson  Etheridge,  of  Tennessee. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  successful  business  men  of  Detroit,  and  his 
sterling  personal  worth  has  made  him  deservedly  popular;  4.  Cath- 
erine, married  1877,Henry  D.  Barnard, of  Hartford, Conn. ;  5.  Alfred 
is  a  lawyer,  and  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Wm.  B.  Moran. 
He  married,  1878,  Satilda  Butterfield.  Judge  Chas.  Moran  died  in 
1876,  leaving  the  most  valuable  estate,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Brush  and  Campau,  in  Detroit.  Charles  inherited  this  magnifi- 
cent property  from  his  grandfather,  Charles  Moran  Grimard. 
The  family  dropped  the  "  d  "  at  the  end  of  the  name,  and  also  the 
title  Grimard  about  1796.  To  the  peculiar  conservatism  of  the 
French  settler  to-day,  so  frequently  and  unjustly  misunderstood, 
are  their  descendants  indebted  for  the  preservation  of  their  ances- 
tral estates.  A  brief  glance  at  the  early  history  of  Detroit  will 
convince  the  candid  and  unbiased  reader,  that  the  position  of  the 
habitants  during  the  various  political  changes  which  Detroit 
underwent  was  one  requiring  delicate  tact  and  diplomatic  ability. 


Earhj  French  Families.  307 

Five  successive  Hags  waved  over  llie  fair  "('it}'  of  the  Straits." 
One  form  of  (Jnveniinent  had  scarcely  enforced  its  laws  and  ex- 
])iained  its  policy  before  it  vanisiied  and  i^ave  place  to  another 
jiower.  A  disastrous  lire  destroyed  their  records.  It  is  not 
stranu;e  that  these  couulry-lossed  settlers  looked  with  suspicion 
and  inditTereiice  upon  new  ideas  and  improvements,  their  expi-ri- 
ence  not  havini;  tauuht  them  to  place  much  confidence  in  the 
existini;-  orders  of  Ihinijfs.  'I'he  old  traditional  conservatism  has 
fullilled  its  mission,  and  handed  to  the  i)resent  generation  valu- 
able estates,  whi(!h,  under  the  progressive  management  and  en- 
larged ideas,  founded  upon  a  permanent  form  of  Government, 
will  bring  not  only  princely  revenues  to  its  owners,  but  be  later 
a  source  of  pride  to  the  city. 

NAVARRE. 


This  family  so  illustrious  in  the  early  da}'s  of  the  colony  traces 
back  in  an  unbroken  line  to  Antoine  de  IJourbon,  Duke  de  Ven- 
dome,  father  of  Henry  4th,  whose  natural  son.  (1)  Jean  Navarre, 
married  \h~'l  I'erette  Barat;  (2)  his  son  Martin  Navarre  de  Villeroy 
married  1.")!);!  .Jeanne  Lefebri',  whose  sou  (:^)  Jean  Navarre,  mar- 
ried 102:5,  Susanna  Le  ('lef  ;  their  son  (4)  Antoine  Navarre,  du 
Plessis  en  Bois.  married  UWm,  Marie  Tjallemant,  whose  son  (.">) 
Antoine  ^Iari(!  Francois  Navarre,  married  l()!)."i,  .Tcanne  Pluyette, 
whose  son  (0)  Robert  .Navarre,  was  sent  to  Fort  Ponlchartrain  as 
Sub-Intendant  and  Koyal  Notary,  where  he  married,  17:54.  .Marie 
Lothman  de  Barrois,  his  son  Robert  (Robishe)  married,  1702, 
Marie  Louise  Archange  de  Mersac,  whose  daughter  Archange 
Louise,  married  1796,  Dominique  Gode  de  ]Marantette,  whose 
daughter,  ]\Iarianne  Navarre,  married  1822,  Pierre  Godfroy. 
Antoine  Navarre  du  Plessis'  other  .sons  remained  in  France,  and 
one  of  them  married  Catherine  de  la  Rue;  their  only  daughter 
married  Jean  Navarre  de  I.ivry  (her  tirst  cousin)  whose  daugiiter 
in  turn,  ^Nlarie  Jeanne  Navarre,  born  170!),  married  .lean  Ji(Miis 
Navarre  de  .Maisonneuxc  (her  cousin)  brother  of  Mons.  de  Navarre, 
Manpiis  de  Longuejoue,  whose  wife,  born  at  St.  Luce,  was  lady 
of  honor  (Dame  d'llonnein-)  to  Madame  Elizabeth,  sister  of  Louis 
10th  of  France  and  the  Duchess  of  Boinbon.  Catherine  Antoin- 
ette, Jeanne  Martine  Petronille,  remained  the  only  d.iughter  by 
the  death  of  her  two  sisters.  She  marrie<l  Louis  Francois  Margue- 
lel  de  la  None,  from  whom  Genevieve  ('elerie  .Marguelet  de  la 
None,  eldest  sister  of  Madame  de  Penleville,  espoused  Count 
licoud  Pcrthuis,  whose  daughter  Marie  Celine  Leontine  de 
Pcrthuis,  espoused  Alex.  Jaccjues  Marie  Clement  (h;  Rlavelte, 
whose  son  Edward  married  Marie  Clement  le  Boulanger  de  .Mont- 
igny,  who.se  son  Count  Leon  Clement  de  lilavelte  married  Lsabell 
(ie  iirossard,  de  Versuille,  France. 


308  Legends  of  Le  Detroit 

Robert  Navarre,  son  of  Antpine  Francois.  Marie  and  Jeanne 
Pluj^ette  came  to  Detroit  to  till  the  most  important  position  in  the 
colony.  He  was  responsible  to  no  one  save  the  Intendant  at  Que- 
bec, lie  ad(ted  to  this  office  that  of  Royal  Notary.  Following  an 
old  manuscript  copied  from  the  Cahinet,  a  scarce  periodical  issued 
at  New  York,  1827-1831 :  Robert  de  Navarre  came  to  America  and 
landed  at  Quebec.  He  was  of  a  noble  French  family,  a  man  of  ex- 
tensive erudition,  was  appointed  under  the  French  government  sub- 
delegue  and  Royal  Notary  at  Detroit.  He  married  there  in  1734,  Ma- 
rie Lothman  dcBarrois.  At  the  marriage  were  present  HuguesPean, 
Seigneur  de  Livaudiere,  Hereditary  Mayor  of  Quebec,  Chevalier 
of  St.  Louis,  Commandant  of  Fort  Pontchartrain,  Pierre  Gode- 
froy  de  Roquet aliade,  Duburron  Ensign,  Daigneaux  Douville  and 
Chas.  Chesne,  Bonaventure,  Ptre.  Robert  Navarre's  children  were: 
(i)  INIarie  Francoise,  born  1735,  married  Geo.  McDougall,  Lt.  in 
the  British  Army,  by  whom  she  had  two  sons,  Jean  Robert  and 
George.  In  1774  she  married  Jacques  Campeau,  father  of  Joseph 
and  I^irnabe,  by  whom  she  had  no  heirs,  but  Barnabe  in  1820 
married  her  granddaughter.  Archange  McDougall,  whose  sons 
were  Alexander  and  the  late  Barnabe. 

(2)  Marianne,  born  1737,  married  1760,  Jacques  Adhemar  St. 
Martin,  frequently  called  La  Butte,  a  most  celebrated  interpreter. 
They  lived  in  the  old  Cass  House,  which  was  the  St.  Martin  home- 
stead, the  ground  being  deeded  to  him  in  1750.  St.  Martin  died  in 
1766,  leaving  a  young  widow  with  three  children  :  (1)  St.  Martin, 
who  died  unmarried •'(2)  Finon  who  married  Philip  Fry;  (3)  Arch- 
ange, born  1765,  married  August  Mcintosh,  who  later  on  inherited 
the  estates  which  belonged  to  the  Earldom  of  Moy,  the  Earldom 
itself  having  been  forfeited  in  the  rebellion  against  the  House  of 
Hanover.  The  Mcintosh  homestead  Avas  on  the  Canadian  shore  op- 
posite Belle  Isle,  and  w^as  celebrated  along  Le  Detroit  for  the  prince- 
ly and  lavish  hospitality  of  its  genial  owner.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  Angus  Mcintosh,  the  boys  returned  to  Scotland  to  take 
possession  "of  their  estates.  Two  of  the  daughters  were  much 
loved  and  esteemed  in  Detroit,  JVIrs.  Henry  J.  Hunt  and  Miss 
Catherine  Mcintosh.  In  1770,  Marianne  Navarre  widow  of  St. 
Martin,  bestowed  her  hand  upon  Dr.  Geo.  Christian  Anthon  who 
had  come  to  Detroit,  in  1760,  with  Mayor  Rogers.  She  died  Oct. 
11th,  1776,  leaving  no  heirs  by  Anthon. 

Robert,  eldest  son  of  Robert.  Sr. ,  surnamed  Robishe  the  Speaker, 
was  born  in  1739.  He  married,  1762,  Louise  Archange  de  Mersac, 
daughter  of  Francois  and  Charlotte  Bourassa.  Another  Charlotte 
Bourassa,  a  cousin,  married  in  1760,  Chas.  de  Langlade,  the  pioneer 
settler  of  Wisconsin,  whose  family  belonged  to  that  of  the  Count  of 
Paris.  To  Robishe  was  deeded  by  the  Pottawatomies.  their  village, 
which  was  on  a  beautiful  eminence  commanding  a  tine  view  and 
which  even  then  was  pronounced  by  them  an   "  Ancient  Village." 


I'MrJij  French  luiiaUu's.  309 

"We  the  chiefs  of  tlie  tribe  of  the  Pottawatomie  nation  at  Detroit 
have  delilR'rafcd  and  j^ivon  of  our  own  free  will  a  piece  of  land  of 
four  ariicMlH  in  widtii  by  the  wlioic  dcptii,  siluat<'(l  at  our  ancient 
villa;j;c  to  liohishe,  son  of  the  Scrivener.  \\v  give  liiin  this  land 
forever,  that  he  might  cultivate  the  same,  light  a  tire  thereon, and 
take  care  of  our  dead,  and  for  surety  of  o>ir  words  we  have  made^ 
ourmarks."  Tiiis  grant  was  ratitied  by  ilcnry  Hassett,  command- 
ing at  Detroit,  July  15,  1772,  in  presence  of  (ieo.  .McDoiigall.  (Jn 
one  of  Navarre's  quit  rent  receijjts  it  is  stated  that  this  trad  Wiis 
contirmed  by  Gen.  Gage.  l{oi)ishe  resided  on  his  land  and  in  the 
house  known  to-day  as  the  lirevoort  homestead.  It  was  later 
enlarged  by  CommodiMX'  IJrevoort  (Robishe's  son-in-law).  J{obishe 
was  the  great  great  grandfather  of  the  writer,  and  there  still  lives 
an  old  lady  who  remembers  him.  She  speaks  of  him  as  a  pre- 
eminentl}'^  hand.some  man,  with  courtly  manners,  most  engaging 
and  charming  in  conversation.  He  was  blessed  like  all  the  French 
of  that  period,  with  an  exceptionally  large  family:  (1)  Robert,  born 
17G4;  (2)  Jacques,  born  17(>(j,  he  settled  on  the  Kiver  Raisin; 
(3)  Francois,  born  17f!7,  early  removed  with  his  brother  Jacfjues 
and  Jean  Marie  to  Monro<',  where  twenty-si.v  arpenls  had  l)een 
deeded  to  liie  Xavarres  by  the  Ottawas.  Francois  was  Colonel 
during  the  war  of  1812-1:3,  and  figures  most  conspicuously.  His 
house  was  the  headquarters  of  Generals  AVa3'ne,  \V'inchesier,  St. 
Clair  and  others.  Thirty-six  Navarres  served  in  his  regiment. 
He  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  pecvdiar  habits  ami  war- 
fare of  the  savages,  and  spoke  with  facility  several  of  their  lan- 
guages. He  was  captured  at  I'rownsiown,  whither  he  had  gone 
ahead  of  Col.  Johnston  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians;  he  was 
taken  as  prisoner  to  Sandwich,  but  fortunately  escaped.  His  son 
Robert  served  under  Capt.  Richard  Smythe,  and  told  the  writer 
many  amusing  anecdotes  of  the  war.  The  only  French  pear  trees 
along  the  Raisin,  are  those  that  were  brought  there  by  Col. 
Navarre  from  his  father's  place  in  Detroit.  Francois  was  tiie  per- 
sonal friend  of  Wayne,  Winchester.  St.  Clair,  Cass,  Macomb  and 
Woodward,  and  his  correspondence  with  several  of  them  lias  been 
preserved. 

He  married,  1790,  .Marie  Suzord,  daughter  of  Louis  and  Marie 
Jo.sette  Lebeau;  his  children  were:  Robert,  born  17!*2;  Francois, 
born  17U;5;  Victoire,  married  182:5,  Jaciiues  Godfrey,  son  of  t;ol. 
Gabrii'l  .and  Ther^se  Douaire  de  Hondy.  Agathe  was  e.Kcpiisitely 
beautiful:  Julie  died  at  an  advanced  age  unmarried;  Monique 
married  John  Askin  eldest  son  of  Col.  James  Askin,  of  S.and- 
wich. 

4.  Isidore,  burn  1768,  married  1795,  Francoise  Dcscomptes  La- 
badie,  daughter  of  Alexis  and  Francoi.se  Robert.  Their  eldest 
son  Isidore,  born  1795,  though  a  mere  stripling  servill  in  the  war 
of  1812. 


310  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

5.  Arcliange  Louise,  born  1770,  married  1796,  Dominique 
Gode  de  Marentette,  whose  daugliters  were  :  Fruncoise 
Marie,  married  Col.  James  Askin,  son  of  Jolm  Governor  of 
Michilimacliinac,  and  Archange  Bartbe;  Marianne  Navarre,  mar- 
ried Pierre  Godfroy,  son  of  Col.  Gabri(3l  and  Therese  Douaire  de 
Bondy;  Jeanne,  married  1st,  Timothy  De  Quindre,  son  of  An- 
toine  and  Catherine  des  Rivieres  de  la  Morandiere;  2nd,  William 
B.    Hunt. 

6.  Charlotte  Soulange,  born  1774,  married  Cajetau  Trem- 
blay;  Antoine  Freshet,  born  1772,  married  1806,  Madeleine 
Cavallier.  He  served  with  distinction  during  the  war  of  1812. 
Jean  Marie,  born  1778,  named  from  his  uncle  ;  7.  Marianne,  born 
1780,  was  a  great  belle.  She  was  very  gifted,  possessing  tine 
musical  ability  and  decided  talent  for  painting.  Cols.  Hamtramck 
and  Gratiot,  were  rival  suitors  for  her  favor,  both  pleaded  in  vain; 
she  was  faithful  to  the  memoiy  of  a  former  lover  who  had  died 
suddenly.  Several  of  her  letters  have  been  preserved — the  style 
is  admirable,  the  handwriting  characteristic  and  beautiful. 

8.  C^atherine,  named  after  her  aunt  Catherine  Macomb,  born  1782, 
married  Commodore  Plenry  Brevoort,  of  Lake  Erie  fame,  and  a 
member  of  the  Brevoort  family  of  New  York.  The  children  of 
this  marriage  were:  John,  married  Marie  Navarre;  Robert,  died 
young;  Anne,  married  Charles  Bristol;  Elias,  settled  in  New 
Mexico ;  Henry,  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Wm.  Macomb  and 
Jeannette  Francheville  de  Marentette,  who  left  three  sons:  Wm. 
Macomb,  who  fought  bravely  and  fell  in  battle  in  the  war  of  1860; 
Henry  Navarre,  Ex-prosecuting  Attorney  of  Detroit;  Elias 
Thornton,  connected  with  the  t^'anada  Railroad.  9.  Monique,  born 
1789,  was  the  first  wife  of  William  Macomb.  She  inherited  the 
traditional  loveliness  of  her  race,  and  added  among  other  accom- 
plishments, that  of  a  daring  and  superb  equestrienne.  She  died 
young,  leaving  one  son,  Navarre  ]Macomb.  10.  Pierre,  born  1787, 
settled  at  the  mouth  of  the  Maumee  in  1807.  He  was  a  trusty 
scout  to  General  Harrison  during  the  war  of  1812.  His  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  Indians  and  of  the  country  enabled  him  to 
render  many  important  services.  His  portrait  is  still  possessed  by 
his  descendants,  taken  at  the  age  of  seventy. 

4.  Francois  Marie,  born  1759,  married  Marie  Louise,  daughter  of 
ReneGodere,  the  children  were:  Robert,  born  1782;  Jacques,  born 
1788;  Francois,  born  1790;  Archange,  born  1792;  Antoine,  born 
1796;  5.  Jean  Marie  Alexis,  born  1762,.  married  1789,  Archange 
Gode;  Marie,  born  1793;  Alexis;  4.  Pluyette,  born  1742;  5. 'Antoine, 
born  1745;  6.  Joseph,  born  1748,  died  young;  7.  Marie  Catherine, 
born  1749,  died  young;  8.  -Bonaventure  Marie,  born  1750,  died 
1764;  9.  Catherine,  born  1757,  married  Alexander  Macomb,  the 
great  land  speculator. 


I'Mi'lij  Frem-li  Families.  311 

PELLETIER. 


History  states  that  wlicii  La  .Mollic  Cadillac  landi'd  at  Detroit  lie 
was  ijreeted  by  two  Coureuis  dcs  Hois.  I'icrre  Koy  and  Fraiicnis 
Pelk'ticr.  This  latter  name  stands  very  iiiu:li  in  Canada  and  is 
found  in  every  department  of  science  and  polities.  Xicolas  the 
lirst  of  the  name  came  from  IJeance  (France)  and  married  in  IGT-I 
Jeanne  Hous.sy.  They  settled  at  Sorrel,  and  left  eii;ht  chihlren  to 
propa irate  their  race.  The  eldest  son  Francois  married  Mar!?iie- 
rile  Madeleine  Morrisseau  l)y  whom  he  had  ten;  one  of  them 
Marie  An.;,'elique.  married  17i)9,  Antoine  de  Gerlais,  she  was  the 
godciiild  of  the  Baron  D'Avauirour.  ({ov.  of  Canada.  Her  brother 
Francois  marrieil  IG*^!)  ^ladeleine  Tluimes  Dufresne.  daMi,diter  of  a 
siirij;eon,  whose  son  Fiancois  Jean,  born  IGSl  at  Sorrel,  married 
1718,  Marie  Robert  at  Detroit,  who  afterwards  married  Louis 
Cami)eau.  A  brother  (Jean)  of  Francois,  who  married  Marirue- 
rite  Madeleine  Morrisseau,  married  in  l()(i"2  at  Quebec,  Marie  Gen- 
evieve Manevely  de  Kainville.  daui^hter  of  Charles  and  Francoise 
de  Blanet,  de  IV-rche,  their  son  Jean  Francois  married  1(»S.")  (Gen- 
evieve Le  Teudre,  who  was  i^odmother  for  Cadillac's  chikl.  the 
first  child  baptised  in  Detroit.  She  aftersvards  marri<'d  Elieiinc 
Volant  de  St.  Claude.  Her  son  by  Pdlctier,  Jean  Francois,  mar- 
ried at  (Quebec  Catherine  Arnaud  with  whom  Cadillac  later  had 
so  much  trouble,  and  who  was  very  influential  at  the  Castle  St. 
Louis.  (Quebec,  owinij  to  his  powerful  family  connections. 

There  was  another  branch  of  Pelletier,  to  which  belom^ed 
Michel,  Sieur  de  la  Prade  and  Seigneur  de  Gentilly,  who  married 
16G')  at  Champlain,  Jacciuelinc  Chamboy. 

Francois,  .son  of  Francois  Antyat  married  1089  !>Lideleine 
Thumes,  their  son  Jean  Bapte,  born  Aunust  1."),  lG91,at  Sorrel, 
married  at  Detroit  1718,  Marie  Louise  Itobert  whose  son  Jean 
Bapte  m.irried  ^larie  Cornet;  the  children  were:  J.  Bapte,  mar- 
ried 17G9.  Catli.  Valle  dit  Versailles;  Therese.  married  17S().  Jean 
Bajite  Chai)oton:  ^larie  Josephelte;  Jaccjues  Amable,  born  174G; 
Francois,  born  1749;  Andre,  married  17G;5.  Catli.  Meloche;  his  sou 
J.  Baple  married  1809.  Cath.  Williams  dauu:hter  of  Thomas  Wil- 
liams ;ind  Cecile  Campeau:  Jacipies,  married  177'^.  .Madeleine  Le 
Vaiuieur  at  (Quebec.  Tli'ir  children  were:  1.  Archani,a'.  born  17S2 
named  after  her  irodmoljier  Anhanire  Bartlie.  wife  of  Jean  Askin 
Governor  of  Mackinaw.  She  married  in  IMM)  ^layor  John  Wliij)- 
pleU.  S.  A.  son  of  Joseph  and  Kli/.a  Fairlield  of  Manchesler,  .Mass. 
The  children  of  thisiniion  blended  the  happier  traitsof  the  Puritan 
with  till!  graceful  charms  of  the  dark-eyed  Xorman  race:  I.Eu- 
nice Fairchild  died  in  infancy;  2.  James  Burbick,  married  isr2, 
Sophie  Gtxlfroy.  daughter  of  Col.  (iabiiel  and  Therese  Douaire 
(le  Bond}-;  3.  John  Porter;  4  Charles  Whiley,  the  well  known 
lawyer  and  chief  justice  of  Michigan,  married  Marguerite  Ann 


312  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

Brooks,  daughter  of  Col.  Edward  Brooks,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Margiic 
rite  Anno  May;  5.  George  Askin  died  j'oung;  6.  Caroline  Hull  died 
iinniai-ried  in  1878,  leaving  the  memory  of  a  most  saintly  life; 
7.  Anne  Hunt  married  Pierre Desnoyers;  8.  Henry  Larned  married 
Caroline  Buckley,  of  Monroe,  Michigan.  His  beautiful  widow 
married  Mr.  Harvey  Mixer  and  resides  at  Detroit ;  9.  Sylvia  Larned 
died  young. 

10.  Mary  Wolcott,  who  inlierited  the  stately,  elegant  presence  Of 
her  race  which,  added  to  tine  conversational  powers, 'make  her  a 
ver}'  interesting  companion;  11.  AVilliam  Lecuyer  married  Louise 
Fairchild.  He  inherited  his  father's  military  talents  and  served 
with  distinction  in  the  late  civil  war,  lie  died  of  wounds  received 
in  war.  His  only  child,  Marie  Louise,  married,  1882,  Edgar,  son 
of  Alexander  Lewis.  She  died  in  the  flower  of  lier  youth  and 
beauty',  universally  regretted;  12.  Eliza  Susan  married  Charles 
Conaglian,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Cincinnati,  OUio.  She  died  in 
1882  and  left  three  sons;  13.  Margaretta  Torrey  married 
Charles  Hyde  and  resided  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  14.  Catherine  So- 
phia married  Edwin  Skinner.  Their  children  were:  Henry 
Whipple  married  in  1877,  3Iannie  Avery,  of  Detroit;  Edwin; 
Archange  married  1881,  Norton  Strong,  surgeon  in  the  U.  S. 
A.,  son  of  Norton  and  Ellen  Chapin,  of  Detroit;  Bernard;  2. 
Catherine,  born  1785,  died  unmarried;  3.  Charles  married  1806, 
Cecile  Marthe  Chapoton,  daughter  of  Louis,  whose  sister  Cath- 
erine married  Major  Antoine  De  Quindre;  a  daughter  by  this 
marriage,  became  the  wife  of  Louis  Beaufait;  a  son,  Charles,  mar- 
ried Eliza  Vameter  Cicotte,  daughter  of  Francois  and  Philis  Pet- 
tier, whose  children  are:  Marianne  married  Alex.  Chapoton,  Jr.; 
Charles,  a  prominent  insurance  agent  of  Detroit;  Helena;  Made- 
leine married  Joseph  Belanger,  of  Canada,  a  branch  of  whose 
family  came  to  Detroit  as  early  as  1715.  He  is  well  known  in 
Detroit  and  deservedly  popular;  Agnes;  Marthe  married  Ferdi- 
nand Zehner;  4.  Antoine  married  1780,  Monique  Bienvenu  Delisle, 
one  of  the  oldest  families  in  Detroit;  5.  Felice  married  1811.  Peter 
Tallman,  Capt.  of  Artillery,  U.  S.  A.,  a  daughter  by  this  mar- 
riage. Marguerite,  became  the  wife  of  Capt.  Moj^er,  of  the  British 
army.  In  1819  she  married  Francois  Cicotte;  6.  Marianne  married 
Capt.  John  Cleves  Semmes,  a  nephew  of  the  famous  jurist,  John 
Cleves  Semmes,  whose  daughter  Anna  married  President  Harris. 
Capt.  Semmes  served  with  gallantry  at  Fort  Erie.  He  created 
quite  a  sensation  in  1813  by  propounding  the  theory  that  the  earth 
was  open  at  the  poles  and  that  the  interior  was  accessible  and 
habitable.  He  died  at  Hamilton,  Butler  County,  Ohio,  1828. 
His  descendants  reside  at  Cincinnati;  7.  Madeleine  married  John 
Askin  and  resided  at  jVFalden,  Canada;  8.  Marguerite  married  Dr. 
Davis,  surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  A.  . 


Early  French  Families.  313 

REAUME. 


This  fnniily  counts  animiir  its  (icscciulnnis  .some  of  llic  most 
prominent  families  of  Canada  and  the  United  States.  Its  founder 
was  Kene,  born  104:5.  .'^on  of  Jean  and  Marie  Ciievalier,  Diocese  of 
La  Hoclielle,  who  married  at  Quchee,  IGCi."),  Marii-  Clievrcau. 
They  liad  a  larj;e  family.  One  of  their  sons,  Kolwrt,  born  1CG8, 
married  in  1G9G,  Elizabetli  Brunet,  two  of  whose  diildren  came  to 
Detroit  in  17;JU.  llyacinthe.  born  1704,  married  in  17:^?,  A.ujatlie 
de  Lacelle.  Pierre,  born  1709,  married  in  1738,  Bu.sanue  Hubert 
de  la  Croix. 

ELDKll   IJIt.XNCU.  ■    "      \ 

Hyacinthe  married  in  17;i3,  Agathe  de  Lacelle.  died  in  1778. 
Their  children  were:  1.  Jacciues,  born  1737;  2.  Joseph,  born  1739. 
married  in  1787,  ]\Iarianne  Robert;  3.  Jean  Bai)tiste,  born  1741. 
married  Lii  1703,  Agathe  Lothman  de  Harrois;  4.  Agathe  married 
in  1769,  Joseph  Poupart ;  .">.  Catherine,  born  174");  0.  Julie,  born 
1748,  married  Lieutenant  Governor  John  Hay,  she  died  1794, 
leaving  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Two  of  her  sons  were  olli- 
cer.s  in  the  British  army.  Her  (laughter  Agathe  married  in  1790, 
Pierre  Moutigny  de  Louvigny,  Knight  of  St.  Louis  ;  his  descend- 
<nnts  occupied  prominent  positions  in  Fr.uice,  one  serving  in  the 
body  guard  of  the  iinfortunate  Louis  lOtli,  they  are  called  Hay  de 
jMontiguy;  7.  Charles;  8.  ]\Iarianne  married  in  17t)."j,  Pierre 
Barron;  8.  Claude  married  in  1705.  Genevieve  Jaunisse;  his  chil- 
dren were  :  Jean  Baptiste,  born  1700;  Agathe,  born  1767;  Char- 
lotte, born  1768,  married  in  1795,  Jacques  Francheville  Gode  do 
Marantette. 

YOUNGER  BRANCH. 

Pierre,  Ilyacinthe's  brother  married  a  second  time  in  1738,  Sus- 
anne  Hubert  de  La  Croix.  The  children  were:  1.  Charlotte,  born 
1738,  married  in  1700,  Lt.  Charles  Deniau  de  Muy,  a  French 
officer,  whose  father  was  commandant  of  the  Post  Pontchartrain; 
2.  Susanne  married  in  1700,  Dujieron  Balj^y,  eldest  son  of  Raymond 
and  Therese  Dupre,  of  Montreal;  3.  Bonaventure  nuirried  in 
1766,  Jeanne  DesHe.stres;  .second,  1793,  Josette  Gatignon  Ferton, 
whose  descendants  are  numerous;  4.  Yeronique  married  Gabrii'l 
Le  Grand,  surgeon  in  tlie  French  army,  widower  of  Madeleine 
Chapoton. 

Louis  Rcaume,  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  stationed  at  De- 
troit in  1780,  Atas  related  to  this  family;  he  married  in  1780, 
Marie  Charlotte  Bart  he,  daught-er  of  Pierre  and  Charlotte  Chapo- 
ton. He  was  killed  two  weeks  after  his  marriage,  leaving  a 
young  bride  of  seventeen,  who  afterwards  ])ecame  the  wife  of 
Louis  Descomptes  Labadie  (Badichon). 


314  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

RIOPEIiLE, 


A  branch  of  this  family  moved  to  Detroit  shortlj^  after  the 
English  conquest  in  1760.  The  descendants  acquired  much 
pi'operty  which  many  of  them  still  possess.  Pierre,  son  of 
Pierre  and  Marguerite  Dubois  of  St.  Denis,  Oleron.  was  the  head 
of  the  Riopelles  in  America.  He  married,  1687,  Marie  Julien, 
daughter  of  Jean  and  Madeleine  Guerin.  Their  children 
were:  1.  Marie  Madeleine,  born  1688,  was  killed  by  a  cannon 
ball;  2.  Barbe,  born  1690,  married  1737,  Jean  Dirigoyen;  3.  Pier- 
re, born  1691,  married  1718,  Marie  Anne  Mahew-Merchant;  4. 
Louis,  born  1693.  married  1718,  Ursule  Vesiuat;  5.  Nicolas,  born 
1696,  married  1721,  Marguerite  Garnaud;  6.  Marianne,  born 
1699,  married  1st,  1716,  Augustin  Letartre,  2nd,  in  1731,  Jacques 
Sarcelier.  Ambroise,  son  of  Pierre  and  Marie  Anne  Mahew-Mer- 
chant, came  to  Detroit  and  married  there  in  1766  Therese  Cam- 
peau,  daughter  of  Antoine  and  Angelique  Pelletier.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  union  were:  1.  Pierre,  born  1767,  died  in  infancy;  2. 
Toussaint,  born  1768;  3.  Pierre,  married  1808,  Monique  Bienvenu 
Delisle;  4.  Antoine,  born  1776;  5. Therese,  born  1776,  died  unmar- 
ried; 6.  Elizabeth,  born  1778,  married Methe;  7.  Hyacinthe, 

born  1780,  married  1807  Franr;oise  Meloche,  in  1812  he'  married 
again,  Angelique  Douairede  Bondy:8.  Arcliange,  born  1784,  mar- 
ried John  Dix; 

9.  Dominique,  born  1787,  married  1818,  Colette  (Clotilde)  Gouin, 
daughter  of  Nicolas  and  Archange  Boyer.  Colette  was  the 
widow  of  Antoine  St.  Bernard.  She  was  universally  beloved, 
and  became  a  model  to  many  who  endeavored  to  imitate  her 
beautiful  and  virtuous  life.  One  boy  and  four  girls  were  the 
result  of  this  union:  1.  Domique,  married  Elizabeth  Gouin.  His 
children  are  worthy  representatives  of  the  name  they  bear. 
One  of  them  is  a  member  of  the  Detroit  bar.  As  a  family  they 
possess  unusual  musical  talents.  One  of  the  daughters  is  a  most 
brilliant  pianist;  2.  Edesse,  married  Michel  G.  Payment;  3. 
Nancy  became  a  nun;  4.  Angelique,  married  Fabien  Pelletier ;^ 
5.  DoMiTELLE,  married Gouin. 

RIVAKD. 


Among  the  earliest  marriages  which  were  celebrated  at  Fort 
Pontchartrain  is  that  of  Francois  Fafard  dit  Delorme,  the  inter- 
preter, and  Barbe  Loisel,  the  widow  of  a  distinguished  officer, 
Francois  Le  Gautier,  Sieur  de  la  Vallee  Ranee;  it  occurred  Octo- 
ber 30,  1713;  the  witnesses  were,  Francois  de  la  For6t,  Command- 
ant, Du  Buisson,  Lt.  of  Marines,  J.  B.  Fachot,  Louis  Gatheau 
Mallet,  Francois  Rivard,  Sieiir  de  Montendroe,  Etienne  Campau, 
Trutard  and  Joseph  Parent. 


Jutdy  French  FainU'ies.  315 

Tliis  family  is  known  undtT  various  titles,  TJivard  de  Lavigiie, 
De  la  Glandc'iic,  Loraiiiicr  dc  St.  Mars,  de  ^Slontendre,  do  La- 
coursiere,  &c.  Its  foundir  in  this  country  was  Nicolas  Rivard, 
Sicurdc  I.avigne,  born  10:24,  married  at  Hatiscan,  105'i. 

The  lliax  or  Yax  were  of  Dutch  orii,nn  and  settled  at  an  early 
daj-  at  Fort  Pontchartrain<  The  chihhcn  of  Jean  liapte  were:  1. 
Jean  Bapte.  born  ITGIJ,  married  17S(),  Irene  Heaufait,  daujj^hter  of 
Judge  Louis  Beaufait  and  Therese  de  ^Vlersac,  whose  children 
were:  Andre,  born  1787;  Monique,  born  1789,  married  1814,  Jo- 
seph Chauvin;  Antoine,  born  1790,  married  Julie  de  Mersac; 
Jean  Bapte,  born  1791:  Elizabeth,  born  1792,  married  Pierre 
Gouin;  2.  Pierre,  born  nfi"),  married  179;'>.  Arcliange  Sei:;uin  de 
Laderoute,  whose  sou  Pierre,  born  1795;  :{.  Nicolas,  born  1709;  4. 
Joseph,  born  1772.  married  1792  Alines  Chauvin;  5.  Francois,  born 
1773,  married  1799  Isabelle  Chapoton,  daughter  of  Jean  Jiapfc;  and 
Felice  Cecyre;  he  was  an  ensign  in  the  lirst  Regiment  of  Militia 
organized  in  the  territory;  bis  daughte;-  Archange,  born  1774,  mar- 
ried 179-")  Paul  Plessis  Bellair,  .son  of  Paul  and  Marianne  Ilery. 
In  1735  Rose  Rivard  married  Oliver  ]*les.sis  Bellair. 

ST.  AUBIN. 

This  famil}'  was  formerly  called  C.vssE,  and  is  one  of  the  very 
oldest  in  Detroit.  Jk.\n  Cassk,  dit  St.  Aubin,  came  to  Fort  Pont- 
chartrain  as  early  as  1710.  lie  brought  with  him  his  wife  ]\Iarie 
Louise  Gaultier  whom  he  had  married  at  Quebec  in  1707.  Their 
children  were:  1.  Joseph;  2.  Gabric-l,  born  171'2:  3.  Jean  Bajtte, 
1708;  4.  Agathe.  born  1710,  married  1734  Nicolas  Campau:  5. 
Chas;6.  NoJ5l:  7.  Therese;  8.  Catherine,  married  1751  ('has.  Cam- 
peau.  Jean  Bapte,  Jr.,  married  1731  .Madeleine  Primeau.  daugh- 
ter of  Jean  and  Su.sanne  Bellanger  of  Quebec;  he  died  in  1733. 
Charles  marrie(V1741  Therese  Estene  daughter  of  Pierre  and  ^Mad- 
eleine  Frappier;  .she  died  in  1748.  lie  married  in  1750  Marie 
Methe.  !Many  of  his  descendants  reside  at  and  around  Detroit. 
NoM  married  1731  Susanne  Estene,  daughter  of  I'ierre  and  Mad- 
eleine Fr;ip])ier:  his  children  were:  1.  Je;ui  Bapte,  who  married 
1770  Therese  Hoye,  daugiiterof  Ignace  and  AngeliquedeCardouet 
whose  daughters  were:  Arcb.inge.  born  1774;  Jeanne,  born  1775; 
2.   Susanne,  married  1771  Admirable  ].,at()ur. 

PiERUK  Casse  St.  Ai  lUN,  married  Marguerite  Brin  d'Amoiu'; 
his  son  Louis  married  1775  Angelique  Chevalier,  daughter  of  Jean 
BaY)te  and  Francoise  Lavoine  of  3Iackinaw,  wdiose  son  Fhancois. 
born  1775,  was  intimately  identified  with  the  history  of  Detroit, 
and  who  is  still  remembered  by  many  of  our  older  citizens.  He 
resided  on  his  property  (now  known  as  the  St.  Aubin  fariu).  To 
him  we  are  indebted  for  many  detailed  accounts  of  incidents  in 
the  early  days  of  the  English  conquest,  information  he  had   re- 


310  Legends  of  Le  Detroit. 

ceivcd  from  liis  father,  and  preserved  through  Judge  Witherell's 
grapliic  pen.  Francois  married  Baseline  Campeau,  born  1784, 
daughter  of  Jean  Bapte.  She  survived  her  husband  nearly  forty 
years,  dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four.  Francois  had 
nine  children:  Louis  St.  Aubin,  married  1st,  Therese  Chapoton, 
2nd,  Madeleine  Cotterell ;  Francois,  married  Virginie  ]\Ioran^  Mrs. 
Louis  Grosebeck;  Mrs.  Pierre  Provencal;  Mrs.  Eugene  W.  Wat- 
son; Mrs.  Richard  Corn(.r;  Mrs.  John  F.  Godfrey  (of  Grand  Rap- 
ids) ;  Mrs.  Henry  Beaubien ;  Mrs.  Antoine  Morass. 

VILLIER  DIT  ST.  LOUIS. 


Several  prominent  families  of  Detroit  trace  back  to  Louis  Vil- 
LiER,  born  1706,  son  of  Jean  and  Marguerite  Gatineau,  of  Toul, 
Lorraine.  He  had  been  educated  for  the  priesthood,  not  find- 
ing it  his  vocation,  determined  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  wilds  of 
Canada,  which  offered  so  tempting  a  field  to  the  adventurous. 
From  Quebec  he  came  to  Detroit,  where  Cadillac  had  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  future  city.  He  married  there,  April  26,  1746, 
Marguerite  IMorin,  daughter  of  Piei-re  and  Josette  Drouet. 
Through  her  mother  Marguerite  was  related  to  Drouet,  Sieur  de 
Richaroille,  a  French  officer:  to  the  Creviers  and  Le  Neuf  du 
Herrison,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  remarkable  families  of  Can- 
ada. Louis  was  called  St.  Louis  on  account  of  his  great  piety. 
He  died  in  1765,  leaving  the  following  children: 

1.  Louis,  born  1747,  married  1770,  Charlotte  Requindeau,  dit 
Joachia ;  family  tradition  relative  to  her  is  that  she  ran  away  from 
the  Ursuline  Convent  at  Quebec  to  marry  Louis.  She  was  related 
to  Gaultier  de  Varenne*,  Governor  of  Three  Rivers,  Petit,  Le- 
febres  and  many  other  prominent  families. 

2.  Christopher,  married  1785,  Josette  Suzor. 

3.  Makianne,  married  1766,  Fran9ois  Drouillard. 

4.  Makie  Louise,  married  1767,  Jos.  Thos.  Dajot. 

5.  Jeanne,  born  1754.  Louis  and  Charlotte  Requindeau  had 
several  children:  1.  Louis  Vitus,  born  1776,  who  served  in  the 
war  of  1812,  and  was  promoted  several  times  for  his  bravery.  He 
settled  at  Sandwich,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age;  2.  Josette 
married  Reaume;  3.  Hubert,  married  Therese  Barthe,  daughter 
of  Jean  Baptiste  and  Genevieve  Cuillerier  de  Beaubien ;  4.  Fran- 
cois, X. 

Jeanne,  married  April  3,  1804,  Thomas  Lewi's,  son  of  Thomas 
and  Josette  Delorme,  of  Three  Rivers,  Canada,  whose  children 
are: 

Joseph,  married  Fanny  Sterling,  two  of  whose  children  reside 
at  Boston,  Mass.,  one  at  Detroit. 

Sophie,  married  Narcissus  Tourneur  dit  Jeannette. 

Thomas,  called  the  good-natured.  Governor  of  Grosse   Isle, 


I'Mi'lij  J^)rn</i    I'aiitlltes.  ;^,17 

married  Jeannettc  Fraiiclu'ville  <le  ^liircntcttc,  widow  of  William 
Macomb,  wiiosc^  only  dauiiiitcr  married  Dallas  Norvcll,  son  of 
Senator  John  Norvell.  He  married  a  second  time  Alary  Jirown, 
by  whom  lie  has  a  large  and  interestinu;  famil}';  Annk,  married 
liiclianl  Ciodfroy. 

CuAiii.oTTK,  inarried  Dr.  Fav,  a  partner  of  Dr.  Clark.  She 
married  a  second  time,  Henry  1^.  Bridge,  formerly  of  lioston,  ex- 
Controller  of  Detroit,  and  one  of  its  mcst  prominent  and  respect- 
ed citizens. 

S.XMi'i'.i-,  married  Jenny  Fenton,  sister  of  Gov.  Fenton,  of 
Michigan.  He  died  in  1878,  universally  regretted.  He  was  a 
successful  business  man,  a  genial  companion  and  a  Christian 
gentleman. 

Ai,Ex.\NnKU.  married  1850,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Justus 
IngersoU  and  .Vnn  Hucklej'.  He  has  a  large  and  exceptionally 
charming  family.  He  has  held  many  oflices  of  pui)ii('  trust: 
mayor,  fire  conimi,ssioner,  etc.  He  possesses  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree that  courteous  manner  which  was  the  peculiar  inheritance 
of  the  old  French. 

VISSIER  DIT  LAFERTE. 


Antoink  Terault  dit  Lafertc  .served  in  the  regiment  of  M. 
de  Suberca.sse,  and  was  stationed  at  Fort  Pontchartrain  as  early  as 
1710.  He  had  married,  at  Montreal,  Alichelle  Fortiu,  whose 
mother,  Louise  Sommillard,  was  the  daugiiter  of  the  Sergeant  at 
Arms,  and  sister  of  Soeur  Bourgeois,  foundress  of  the  order  of 
Notre  Dame,  at  Afontreal. 

The  children  of  this  marriage  were:    Pierre,  born  1707,  whose 

Sod-parents  were  Pierre  Boucher  de  Bouchcrvillc  and  Madeleine 
.amothe  Cadillac;  ^Slarianne,  born  1712;  Joseph,  born  1724. 
Louis  Vissikh  dit  L.\fkutk  married  Louise  Lafoie,  by  whom 
he  had  three  children.  In  1771  he  married  Catherine  L'Esprit 
dit  Champagne,  hy  whom  he  had  a  large  familv:  Jjouis.  born 
1772,  married  1800,  Cath.  Campeau;  Alexis,  born  177:].  his 
descendants  ri'side  at  Detroit  ;  Catherine,  born  1775,  married 
179-1,  Chas.  Morand  Grimard;  Angelique,  born  1776;  Therc^.se, 
born  1778;  Marianne,  born  1779. 

JosEPir,  married  Mile.  Goyeau,  whose  son  Clemence  is  well 
known  in  Detroit;  and  the  Laferte  Farm  takes  its  name  from 
Joseph;  Pierre,  born  1788.  marri<'(l  Marie  Loui.se  Lafoie,  who.se 
son  Pierre  inherits  that  (!()urtesy  of  manner  so  peruli.arly  the  gift 
of  the  French.      He  married  Mile.  D.iupliin.  of  (';ui.id:i. 


cniiTHFHNRtGlONALl 


AA    000  926  871    5 


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